| Author (Corporate) | European Commission: DG Communication |
|---|---|
| Series Title | Press Release |
| Series Details | IP/13/490 (31.05.13) |
| Publication Date | 31/05/2013 |
| Content Type | News |
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Previews and reports about the European Union-Russian Federation Summit taking place on 3 and 4 June in Yekaterinburg, Russia. The EU was represented by Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, and by José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission. Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice President of the Commission and Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger will also take part. Russia was represented by President Vladimir Putin, accompanied by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and several other Russian ministers. Following the conclusions of the two-day meeting, EU and Russian leaders appeared sharply divided over civil liberties in Russia and ways to resolve the Syrian crisis. The meeting also exposed tensions over a new Russian law on airline passenger data law. The two sides failed to agree a visa deal that would make it easier for some 15,000 Russian government employees to travel to EU states. The European Commission then considered a ban on visa-free travel for Russian officials linked to the alleged murder of Sergei Magnitsky. Russian officials banned from entering the US on accusations of corruption and conspiracy to murder are frequent visitors in EU cities according the Obeserver from the 10 June 2013. Consequently it is unclear whether the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) want a US-model ban on the 18 officials, on the 18 plus others such as Kluyev, or on up to 60 officials named on a separate list by US senator Ben Cardin. |
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| Source Link | http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-13-490_en.htm |
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| Subject Categories | Politics and International Relations |
| Countries / Regions | Europe, Russia |
