18/04/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 17 April, the EU and Russia held the seventh meeting under the regular human rights talks, launched in March 2005. At the talks, the EU raised a number of concerns related to specific human rights and fundamental freedoms in the Russian Federation (press freedom, freedom of assembly) particularly during recent parliamentary and presidential elections. According to a press release from the Slovenian Presidency of the EU, the EU also discussed the functioning of civil society, the rights of persons belonging to minorities and combating racism and xenophobia and the rights of children. The human rights situation in the Northern Caucasus was also raised by the EU. (H.B.)