Putin, EU play down differences before summit

Source: CCTV.com | 05-16-2007 15:20

Russia's President Vladimir Putin (R) meets Germany's Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier for talks in the Novo-Ogaryovo presidential residence outside Moscow May 15, 2007. Putin said on Tuesday Russia and the European Union were willing to solve their differences as Germany's foreign minister met him to try to salvage a troubled EU-Russia summit later this week. REUTERS/Sergei Chirikov/Pool (RUSSIA)

Russian President Vladimir Putin has met with German Foreign Minister Frank Steinmeier.

The meeting comes as ties between Moscow and the EU are at a new low. Germany holds the EU rotating presidency. The two sides hope to patch up relations before this week's Russia-EU summit.

Putin and Steinmeier discussed a range of issues on the European agenda.

They include a Russian ban on the import of Polish meat and a row between Russia and its neighbor, Estonia.

Steinmeier says progress was made but there's no sign of a breakthrough.

The meeting was held three days before the upcoming Russia-EU summit near the Russian city of Samara. The summit threatens to dissolve into an acrimony.

Steinmeier said, "On both sides of the table, we would like to avoid seeing a collision of interests that develops into a political conflict on a grand scale. This is why I am here, ahead of the summit, to look for ways to solve the differences that have accumulated over the last weeks."

Putin said, "There is a desire to solve this problem on both sides. And I think that's not bad."

In last-minute talks, Russia and the EU played down their differences in order to salvage their summit, which a senior Kremlin aid says will be the most difficult in years.

Editor:Du Xiaodan