Putin names Russian curators of four common spaces

Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed giving a political impetus to the formation of four common European spaces.

The traditional Russia-EU meeting is held in special conditions - close neighbors of Russia have become EU members, Mr. Putin said at a session of the Russia-EU summit.

"At this stage we need a dialogue, and we need to speed up the realization of agreements reached at the Russia-EU summit in St. Petersburg. It's necessary to give a political impetus to the formation of four common European spaces," the president said.

"Russia-EU partnership will make it possible to give Europe a greater weight on the international scene," said Mr. Putin.

He suggested elaborating a common concept on the formation of four common spaces and adopting it at the next Russia-EU summit in the Hague.

The EU proposals of April 29 on the issue note the serious approach of our colleagues to this matter, said the president.

He stressed that many ideas can be used for further joint work.

"I would like this work to be constructive and reflect the interests of all parties," said the president.

He said Russia will voice its vision of the formation of the four common spaces at the summit.

Putin said Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov will coordinate the process. Viktor Khristenko will be in charge of the issue of the common economic space, energy and transport, presidential aide Viktor Ivanov will be in charge of the issues of law, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the common security space, and Sergei Yastrzhembsky, the science and culture space.