EU-DIGEST - special edition

EU foreign ministers approved plans to begin discussing a new strategic partnership and cooperation agreement (PCA) with Russia. The talks are to start at the Russia-EU summit in Khanty-Mansiysk, the capital of Yugra in Western Siberia, on June 26-27. Yugra, an exotic place for many Russians, let alone Europeans, held its presentation in Brussels three days before the EU ministers approved the mandate for the talks. The talks may last several years and the new agreement must be ratified by all 27 members of the European Union. Most experts in Brussels believe that French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner was too optimistic when he said coordination and ratification would take only 12-18 months.

For the complete report from Ria Novosti click on this link