Brussels, 17/02/2000 (Agence Europe) - The meeting of the EU Troika (Portuguese Foreign Minister and Council President Jaime Gama, French Minister Hubert Védrine who will succeed him on 1 July, as well as Secretary General/CFSP High Representative Javier Solana and Commissioner Chris Patten), on 2 March in Lisbon, with Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov will serve as a prelude to an enlarged meeting the following day with US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. This gathering will be a first tripartite meeting of this type, an initiative that appears to have been taken by the EU Council Presidency. The agenda of the three-way meeting has not been set yet, Moscow merely having accepted its convening. An EU/United States meeting (which did not take place on 8 February in Washington because of problems experienced by Mrs Albright) will also be held on 3 March.
The meeting between the EU Troika and Mr Ivanov (to be preceded by a bilateral meeting between Mr Ivanov and Mr Gama) is another in the traditional series of meetings at which the parties discuss subjects of common interest. They are expected to address, for example, the situation in the Balkans and in the Middle East. Bilateral issues -such as implementation of the EU common strategy towards Russia- are not expected to be addressed in detail within this framework. On the other hand, it would be surprising for the Union representatives not to take advantage of the opportunity to raise the problem of Chechnya, in the light of the conclusions adopted by the General Affairs Council (see in particular EUROPE of 16 February, pp. 3 and 4). The Troika is expected above all to try to convince Mr Ivanov that the EU really wishes to develop stable relations with Russia, in accordance with what is stated in the final sentence of the General Affairs Council conclusions, while making it clear that this involves counter-concessions by Moscow. It is also expected that the Troika will take advantage of the opportunity to assure Mr Ivanov that the EU's planned enlargement to the CEECs will not lead to any economic or commercial difficulties for Russia, a fear nurtured by Russian authorities.