Russia, EU Speak for Ceasing Military Action in Iraq

Russia and the European Union favour an early end to the military action in Iraq. This was said at the Friday meeting between Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Mamedov with accredited ambassadors of the members of the EU Troika /Greece, Italy, a representative of the EU Commission/, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported.

The meeting's participants spoke for preventing the approaching humanitarian catastrophe and settling the situation in Iraq in compliance with the UN Security Council resolutions.

In this connection, Mamedov emphasised, "the special importance of partnership relations with the USA to eliminate the current threats to international stability". In this context, the parties considered some topical aspects of preparing the Russia-EU summit in St.Petersburg and the G8 summit in Evian.

During the conversation, they gave "a high assessment to the dynamically developing foreign-policy co-operation between Russia and the EU, including on the most topical and principal issues of the current tense international situation," the Russian Foreign Ministry pointed out.