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Russia favours sincere, fair talks with EU over Eastern Partnership

MOSCOW, February 18. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia favors sincere and fair talks with the European Union over the Eastern Partnership and the energy dialogue, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after a meeting with Estonian counterpart Urmas Paet on Tuesday.

“The energy dialogue is a cornerstone of Russia-EU strategic partnership,” the Russian minister said commenting on an article by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton in Kommersant daily.

“All should be so as Kathy Ashton writes in her article by respecting the obligations whether they are before the OSCE or within Russia-EU partnership, or whether these are the obligations that the participants in the CIS free trade zone have,” he said, adding “They should be respected.”

Commenting on Russia-EU trade relations, Lavrov said, “Moscow favours a gradual movement towards this goal.”

“Russia jointly with the Customs Union partners seeks to increase goods’ competitiveness. Then we want to start a talk on liberalisation of trade with the EU,” he said.

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