 News headlines
March 22, 2013 16:14
Visas main obstacle to broader Russia-EU ties - Medvedev
MOSCOW. March 22 (Interfax) - If visas are not scrapped, strategic partnership between Russia and the European Union will not be possible, said Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.
"We must understand that visas will have to be scrapped in any case if we are to build a strategic partnership," Medvedev said at a press conference on Friday after talks between Russian government and European Commission officials.
"This is our Carthage that must be destroyed, if you want," Medvedev said.
"It is my deep conviction that visas are the main obstacle obstructing broader relations between Russia and the European Union," Medvedev said.
It is visas that slow bilateral relations, not "energy or other issues connected with our legislation, or disputes over trade situations," he said.
"I have no such feeling that we are at fatal standstill, although Russia would like this to move much faster, and visas scrapped by the time the Sochi Olympics begin - in other words, in the near future," Medvedev said.
But he said that Russia understands the European Union's decision-making mechanism. "We understand that not everything depends on the European Commission's position. Each of the 27 members must make the corresponding decision on their own. It is a process," Medvedev said.
Sd jv
(Our editorial staff can be reached at eng.editors@interfax.ru)
/Interfax/
May 18, 2013 15:30 Opposition plans protest rally in Moscow on June 12 - Coordination Council member 15:26 Iran not planning to build nuclear weapons - ambassador 15:15 Iran willing to dispel doubts about civilian nature of its nuclear program - ambassador 14:50 Iran not obliged to close Fordo facility, stop uranium enrichment - ambassador 14:47 No date for new P5+1-Iran meeting set yet - Iranian ambassador 14:36 Ahmadinejad to visit Russia on July 1-2 - ambassador 14:27 Rosbank CEO Golubkov's money found on his brother's account - source 14:19 Medvedev hopes United Russia will win local elections in Sept 2008, proposes congress in Nov 2013 13:58 IRAN NOT OBLIGED TO CLOSE DOWN FORDO NUCLEAR FACILITY, STOP URANIUM ENRICHMENT - IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TO RUSSIA 13:56 DATE OF P5+1'S NEW MEETING WITH IRAN NOT SET YET - IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TO RUSSIA 13:55 MAHMUD AHMADINEJAD TO VISIT RUSSIA ON JULY 1-2 - IRANIAN AMBASSADOR TO RUSSIA 13:54 ROSBANK CHAIRMAN GOLUBKOV'S MONEY FOUND ON HIS BROTHER'S ACCOUNT, $3 MLN WITHDRAWN TO ORGANIZE HIS LEGAL DEFENSE - SOURCE 13:28 MEDVEDEV HOPES FOR UNITED RUSSIA'S VICTORY IN LOCAL ELECTIONS IN SEPTEMBER 2013, PROPOSES HOLDING PARTY CONGRESS IN NOVEMBER 2013 13:26 Second Mistral-class ship built for Russia by France to join Black Sea Fleet in 2017 - military official
|
.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has given an interview to Interfax ahead of his visit to Russia on May 16-19 in which he speaks about the goals of his visit, pressing tasks that the UN face, the organization‘s reform, as well as topical issues on the international agenda, including situation in Syria and the Middle East settlement.
more.
.
Deputy NATO Secretary General Alexander Vershbow, who is visiting Moscow for an informal conference of former U.S. ambassadors to Russia and Russian ambassador to the United States, has given an interview to Interfax in which he speaks about NATO-Russia cooperation, as well as pressing issues on the international agenda, such as the missile defense issue, North Korea, Syria and Afghanistan.
more.
.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague has given an interview to Interfax‘ journalist Olga Golovanova ahead of the 2+2 meeting slated for March 13 in London, on which he speaks about the agenda of the upcoming 2+2 talks, the whole range of British-Russian relations, including human rights, as well as pressing international issues notably Syria.
more
|
