"The consultations continue, work at the expert level is coming to an end," the Russian Prime Minister said on Friday to journalists in the wake of his meeting with Marco Franco, head of the European Union mission in Russia and the ambassadors of 25 EU member-states.
"I would like to take use of the unique opportunity to discuss what worries all of us and give an impulse to the existing and new areas of cooperation. I hope that our today's meeting with all those present will serve to this," Mr. Fradkov said.
In his turn Marco Franco said: "The Russia-EU summit which is scheduled for November 11 in the Hague will outline further prospects of the development of relations with Russia in the near future."
The sides discussed the way of stepping up cooperation in the fight against terrorism.
Discussed at the meeting were the implementation of the administrative and economic reforms, as well as the course of privatization in Russia, the prospects of building up strategic partnership between Russia and the European Union and the progress at the talks on Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization. The sides also discussed a visa policy pursued by the Russian Federation and the European Union and other urgent problems of international cooperation.
The Russian premier spoke about the negative reaction of his government to statements made by some officials of the EU countries who say that Russia must give explanations of the causes of the Beslan tragedy.
"I would like to note that we painfully react to statements by some officials of the EU countries who say that Russia must explain the causes of the tragedy in Beslan," the premier said.
"Russia has already expressed its attitude to this statement. I believe that such statements are not the official stance of the European Union. We are interested in drawing lessons from this terrible tragedy more than anyone else," Mr. Fradkov stressed.
He thanked the participants in the round table discussion for condolences as well as aid rendered by the EU states.
"Only joint efforts can be effective in the fight against international terrorism," Mr. Fradkov said.
