The Luxembourg conference, at a foreign-ministerial level, will involve Russia, Luxembourg as current EU chair country, and the UK as the upcoming. The EU Council Secretary General and a European Commission member will also attend.
The negotiators will also tackle efforts to form four united environments-economic; freedom, security and justice; transnational security; and, last but not least, research, education and culture.
The Luxembourg conferees will pay due attention to issues long-established in the foreground of international affairs-developments in the Middle East, the Iraqi situation, NCB nonproliferation, OSCE activities, and regional conflict settlement, said Mr. Yakovenko.
The Parties ought to coordinate reciprocal measures gradually to shift to visa-free travel of Russian and EU countries' nationals. The diplomat highlighted these efforts among the crucial in blueprinting the united environment of freedom, security and justice.
Moscow regards an upcoming readmission agreement precisely in that context. An initial stage will be ushered in with a Russia-EU agreement, now being drafted, on streamlining visa arrangements. The instrument will reach farther than analogous agreements Russia has made for today with Germany, France and Italy.
Mr. Yakovenko also mentioned Russia-EU expert consultations, due in Brussels, March 1. The agenda will include a wide range of human rights issues, and the situation of ethnic minorities in Russia and European Union countries. Some of the items under discussion will also appear on the agenda of an upcoming session of the United Nations' human rights committee.
Vladimir Parshikov, who heads the Foreign Ministry department for humanitarian cooperation and human rights, will lead the Russian delegation in Brussels.
