Lavrov and Solana comment on MidEast, US-Afghanistan
(11 Feb 2009) 1. Wide shot of EU delegation in meeting with Russian officials 2. Mid shot of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov 3. Pan from audience to meeting 4. Mid shot of EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana 5. Wide shot of camera crews filming the meeting 6. Wide shot of news conference, on podium left to right European Union Foreign Affairs Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner; Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg; Lavrov, Solana 7. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Sergey Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister: "We will expect the new government of Israel to be committed to agreements reached earlier as part of the negotiating process, including the road map and agreements achieved between the Israelis and Palestinians with the international community's support at the Annapolis conference." 8. Wide shot of podium 9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Javier Solana, EU Foreign Policy Chief: "On the international issues I would like to insist that for us the cooperation with the Russian Federation on the Middle East at this point time is fundamental. We are both members of the quartet, we would like very much to move the process forward and to construct as much as possible, even at this difficult situation, the possibility of a resolution of the conflict. I don't think we have to be all the time concentrated only on crisis management but we have to begin to create a dynamic to find a lasting solution. All that we agree and we hope that soon we will have a Quartet meeting in which we can put these ideas forward." 10. Wide shot of podium 11. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Sergey Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister: "We are ready - as President Medvedev confirmed recently - for the most large-scale and close cooperation (with the United States) in terms of Afghanistan. Non-lethal cargo transit has already been provided according to our agreement with NATO. Just a couple of days ago the US were allowed to use this agreement for shipment of cargoes for the international security forces. Additional steps are also possible." 12. Camera crew 13. Solana and Lavrov walk out of news conference STORYLINE: Russian and European Union officials held talks on Wednesday in Moscow to discuss troubled ties and other international crises. Russian Foreign Ministry Sergey Lavrov said Moscow and the EU can cooperate productively despite their differences. On the Middle East Lavrov said he expected Israel's new government "to be committed to agreements reached earlier as part of the negotiating process." EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana also commented on the peace process, saying "cooperation with the Russian Federation on the Middle East at this point time is fundamental." Lavrov also said Russia was open to the possibility of letting the United States and NATO ship weaponry across its territory to Afghanistan if the broader relationship between Moscow and the West improves. Lavrov spoke the day after US diplomats met Russian officials in Moscow to work out logistical details for Western military supplies to cross Russia. Moscow has previously allowed non-lethal cargo from European nations to cross its territory and said last week it would let the US do the same. Lavrov added that broader cooperation on Afghanistan would be contingent on improvement of Russia-NATO ties. Also on Wednesday Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg said that the EU and Russia must focus on negotiating a new partnership and cooperation agreement. The Czech Republic holds the EU's rotating presidency. The EU suspended talks on a new agreement in the wake of last August's Russian-Georgia war, but later agreed to resume them. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
