Brussels, 08/10/2003 (Agence Europe) - The Deputy Director of the administration of the President of the Russian Federation, Viktor Ivanov, met the Director of the European Police Office, Jürgen Storbeck, in The Hague on Wednesday. Europol and Russia are to sign a co-operation agreement, to allow the exchange of strategic analyses and various forms of co-operation, but not the transmission of personal data. The Council's approval of the singing of this agreement is pending a Dutch parliamentary reservation. The Italian Presidency hopes that it will be lifted in time for the agreement to be signed at the EU-Russia Summit of 6 November (EUROPE of 4 October, p.8).
The day before, Mr Ivanov had met European Commissioner Antonio Vitorino in Brussels. They agreed that before the EU-Russia Summit, there would be two Europe-Russia meetings on visas and negotiations on an agreement on readmitting illegal immigrants. After the Summit, the European Union and Russia may set up a working group on borders. Mr Ivanov also met the Director General of the European Anti-Fraud Office (Olaf), Franz-Hermann Brüner. They discussed "how the Russian authorities could in future reinforce their co-operation with Olaf", indicated the office in a press release.