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EU foreign ministers discuss Georgia, transatlantic ties |
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22:05, September 05, 2008 |
Foreign ministers of European Union (EU) countries are gathered in the southern French city of Avignon for discussions over the Georgia crisis and the bloc's relations with Russia as well as transatlantic ties.
The informal meeting started on a high-speed train from Paris to the historic city of Avignon.
The ministers continued their meeting Friday afternoon in the magnificent Palace of the Popes, residence of the pontiffs during the 14th century.
Georgia will top the agenda of the meeting as a special EU summit has set EU's overall policy on the issue several days ago.
The summit condemned Russia's recognition of Georgia's two breakaway regions -- Abkhazia and South Ossetia -- as independent states. But the leaders refrained from imposing sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Georgia.
Georgia launched a sudden attack in South Ossetia on Aug. 7 in an attempt to regain control of the breakaway region. Tbilisi's move triggered prompt reaction from Russia, whose troops drove Georgian forces out of the region.
The EU now wants a complete withdrawal of Russian troops to pre- conflict positions.
At the summit, the EU leaders vowed to strengthen relations with Georgia and other former Soviet republics in the aftermath of the Georgia-Russia conflict and has decided to send a fact-finding mission to Georgia.
The foreign ministers are expected to discuss in depth the size and date of the observer mission.
The EU foreign ministers will also consider the EU's involvement in Georgia in terms of humanitarian aid, reconstruction and a political settlement.
In this context, the ministers will also consider future relations between the EU and Russia in view of the forthcoming EU-Russia Summit scheduled for Nov. 14.
The foreign ministers will debate on the future of relations between the EU and the United States given the fact that the a U.S. presidential election is under way and that the two sides on the Atlantic need to address the Georgia crisis and other international issues together.
Source:Xinhua
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