OREANDA-NEWS. October 20, 2009. A foreign minister level meeting of the Russia-EU Permanent Partnership Council, attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, EU-presiding Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, EU Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner, along with senior EU Council General Secretariat officials and the representatives of Spain, the next EU-presiding country in the first half of 2010, took place in Brussels on schedule as provided for in the Russia-EU political dialogue.

The sides discussed the state of, and prospects for Russia-EU relations, including the progress made on the common spaces, preparations for the upcoming Russia-EU Summit to be held in Stockholm on November 18, 2009, and the initiative of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev for a European Security Treaty. Particular attention was devoted to progress on a new Russia-EU framework agreement.

A thorough exchange of views took place on a number of topical international problems, including Iran’s nuclear program and the situation in Transcaucasia, the Balkans, Moldova and Cyprus.