Date of release : 31-03-2005

Policy area : General Affairs and External Relations

Event : EU-Russia Permanent Partnership Council (Troika)

Jean Asselborn, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration and current President of the Council of the European Union, will hold talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on 1 April in Luxembourg as part of the EU-Russia Partnership Council.

Alongside Jean Asselborn, the European Union delegation will include Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy.

The two sides will discuss EU-Russia relations, in particular the ongoing negotiations on the "four spaces" (economy; freedom, security and justice; external security; research and education, including culture).

The Partnership Council is also expected to focus on a number of topical international and regional issues: the situation in Moldova and in Georgia, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, the Middle East, the Western Balkans, Sudan and Cyprus.