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EU-Russia summit to 'shift tone' Russians and EU to seek new pact
(about 20 hours later)
Russian and EU leaders have met in the Siberian city of Khanty-Mansiysk - the first such summit since Dmitry Medvedev became Russian president. Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev and top EU officials have announced the start of talks on a new strategic partnership agreement.
The two-day summit is being held to launch negotiations on a new partnership and co-operation agreement. The start of negotiations has been long delayed, amid strained ties under Mr Medvedev's predecessor, Vladimir Putin.
EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana said he hoped the summit would mark a "change of tone" in relations. But, at a meeting with EU officials in the Siberian city of Khanty-Mansiysk, Mr Medvedev said he was looking for a "new impulse" to relations with the EU.
However, a fresh row with Finland threatened to overshadow any attempts to improve ties. The talks will formally begin on 4 July in Brussels, he said.
Mr Solana told the AFP news agency that the summit would mark the beginning of the EU's relationship with Mr Medvedev. They will primarily focus on trade - Russia is the EU's third biggest trading partner and half of all Russian exports go to the EU.
"I don't think there will be a profound change - a change of substance - but it's true that there will be a different tone," he said. Objections lifted
Energy focus A relaxed Mr Medvedev hailed the "sincere, neighbourly" mood at the summit, and EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said he "really enjoyed this... very open, relaxed, constructive atmosphere".
Russia's ambassador to Brussels, Vladimir Chizhov, spoke of "opening a new chapter in the relationship between Russia and the EU". Mr Putin stayed away from the summit. But despite much talk of co-operation and mutual interest, old problems reared their heads, says the BBC's James Rodgers.
President Medvedev said Russia was alarmed by what he called a tendency to use European solidarity to promote the interests of individual members in bilateral disputes with Russia.
He also harshly criticised US plans to site missile defence facilities in Europe, and warned warned the EU against relying on others to ensure security in Europe.
Indeed, Russia proposed a new treaty covering security across the European continent - a suggestion it said was warmly welcomed.
Objections dropped
The new agreement is meant to replace the previous 10-year deal, which expired in 2007, but will continue to govern relations until the new text comes into force.
Talks had been stalled since late 2006, when Warsaw objected to a Russian ban on meat imports from Poland.
Fuel woes overshadow talks
After that Lithuania held up progress, saying it wanted discussions on Russia's support for separatists in Georgia and Moldova.
It dropped its objections in May, allowing talks to go ahead.
Energy supplies were a key issue at the summit, with the EU getting about a quarter of its natural gas from Russia.
The host city is at the heart of Russia's oil boom and more than 4,000km (2,500 miles) from Brussels.The host city is at the heart of Russia's oil boom and more than 4,000km (2,500 miles) from Brussels.
Energy supplies are a key issue, with the EU getting about a quarter of its natural gas from Russia.
Russia is the EU's third biggest trading partner - half of Russian exports go to the 27-nation bloc.
Vladimir Putin, Mr Medvedev's predecessor in the Kremlin, and now Russia's prime minister, is not expected to attend the summit.
The EU delegation is headed by Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner and Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson. Fuel woes overshadow talks
The European Commission says it wants the new partnership agreement to establish "a level playing field for energy relations".The European Commission says it wants the new partnership agreement to establish "a level playing field for energy relations".
Russia's previous gas rows with its former Soviet neighbours - especially Ukraine - have made Europe nervous, the BBC's James Rodgers reports from Moscow. New cloud
According to the commission, the summit talks will also cover financial market stability, the rise of sovereign wealth funds, climate change, energy security and the current food crisis. Russia's previous gas rows with its former Soviet neighbours - especially Ukraine - have made Europe nervous, our correspondent says.
Cloud overhead Among the other subjects covered by the summit were financial market stability, the rise of sovereign wealth funds, climate change and the current food crisis.
Previous talks were delayed for 18 months because of the vetoes imposed by Eastern European members of the EU bloc. There was a potential new stumbling block raised on the eve of the summit, when Finland - a major Russian trading partner - announced it was considering retaliation for Russian moves to increase export duties on raw timber.
The latest country to overshadow talks is Finland - a major Russian trading partner - which announced on Thursday that it was considering retaliation for Russian moves to increase export duties on raw timber.
The country said Russia's measures - which it says are designed to bolster the country's paper-processing industry - would cost up to 16,000 jobs in Finland.The country said Russia's measures - which it says are designed to bolster the country's paper-processing industry - would cost up to 16,000 jobs in Finland.
Finland's prime minister is reported to have written to Mr Barroso, saying that his country expected the matter of wood duties to be at the top of the summit's agenda.