Brussels, 26/06/2014 (Agence Europe) - Russia has agreed to meet with the EU and Ukraine on 11 July for tripartite political-level consultations to discuss aspects of implementing the EU-Ukraine association agreement, said the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry on 26 June.
“Now finally we succeeded to agree on a tripartite format, just today or tomorrow technical experts may meet and a ministerial meeting should be held in mid-July at the EU request”, said Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Meshkov, as reported by Russian news agency Itar-Tass. “We have many issues to be discussed. Russia has given a report on its concerns. For more than a year, Russia insists the consultations within the Russia-Ukraine-EU format be held due to Kiev's intention to sign the association agreement. But Brussels rejected Russia's proposal”, Meshkov stated, deeming the technical discussions between Brussels and Moscow on the potential effects for Russia of the future EU-Ukraine agreement (see EUROPE 11102) not to have been “a big success” so far. (EH)