Moscow has raised the prospect that "yet another impasse" over the EU's future institutional set up - caused by the recent Irish No vote to the Lisbon Treaty - could affect talks on a new pact of strategic partnership between the union and Russia. "With the Lisbon treaty in force and a clearer picture of how the EU is organised, it would have been easier to negotiate the pact," Russia's ambassador to the EU, Vladimir Chizhov, said on Monday (23 June). Russian president Medvedev - Russia says it is not gloating over the EU's institutional difficulties Speaking to the Financial Times, Mr Chizhov expressed the "hope" that the 27-nation bloc finds a solution to treaty rejection so that long-delayed partnership talks with Russia do not face a new delay. "Above all, we're not gloating. It's not entirely a sign of the EU's strength, of course, but we'll be closely following developments," the ambassador said. Negotiations on a new "Partnership and Co-operation" pact are expected to get under way at the EU-Russia summit in Siberia later this week (26-27 June) - the first gathering under the leadership of recently elected Russian President Dmitrij Medvedev.
Moscow has raised the prospect that "yet another impasse" over the EU's future institutional set up - caused by the recent Irish No vote to the Lisbon Treaty - could affect talks on a new pact of strategic partnership between the union and Russia.
"With the Lisbon treaty in force and a clearer picture of how the EU is organised, it would have been easier to negotiate the pact," Russia's ambassador to the EU, Vladimir Chizhov, said on Monday (23 June).
Russian president Medvedev - Russia says it is not gloating over the EU's institutional difficulties
Speaking to the Financial Times, Mr Chizhov expressed the "hope" that the 27-nation bloc finds a solution to treaty rejection so that long-delayed partnership talks with Russia do not face a new delay.
"Above all, we're not gloating. It's not entirely a sign of the EU's strength, of course, but we'll be closely following developments," the ambassador said.
Negotiations on a new "Partnership and Co-operation" pact are expected to get under way at the EU-Russia summit in Siberia later this week (26-27 June) - the first gathering under the leadership of recently elected Russian President Dmitrij Medvedev.
