Medvedev, Sarkozy, Merkel to discuss RF-NATO ties, Iran, Mideast

MOSCOW, October 18 (Itar-Tass) -- The Iranian nuclear problem,
Russia-NATO relations, the promotion of Russia's initiative for a new
European security treaty will be high on the agenda of a
Russia-France-Germany two-day summit that will open in Deauville on
Monday, Russian presidential aide Sergei Prikhodko told Itar-Tass on
Sunday.
"High on the agenda of a forthcoming summit in the Group of Three
format are the prospects to build up in the Euro-Atlantic region and the
Eurasia a democratic space of equal and indivisible security that should
meet modern political realities and should give joint responses to common
threats and challenges," Prikhodko said.
Russia "gives priority to the promotion of the initiative, which
President Dmitry Medvedev put forward in 2008 to draft a new European
security treaty," he noted. In this respect, the Kremlin official recalled
about similar ideas: Russian-German initiative to form a Russia-EU
committee at the ministerial level for foreign policy and security, the
French idea to form a common space in economy and security between Russia
and the European Union.
"In this context, I believe that Russia-NATO relations will be
discussed at the initiative of the Russian president," Prikhodko remarked.
Prikhodko doubts that the problem of NATO missile defense systems in
Europe will be discussed in detail in Deauville, though "the problem will
be discussed in general." "Russia considers the U.S. decision on Poland
and the Czech Republic very important, as well as the fact that the U.S.
leadership is also ready to launch the negotiations on the major issue -
the joint determination of potential threats," Prikhodko indicated. Still,
the sides "have some disagreements over one major issue - not all sides
take commonly and equally the current threats." The Russian presidential
aide noted that after the settlement of this problem "all other questions
will be lifted."
The summiteers "will share opinions on the Iranian nuclear problem,
primarily in line with the development of positive tendencies that are
taking shape after the meeting of the Sextet foreign ministers in New
York," Prikhodko underlined. Alongside, Prikhodko added that the
resumption of the Sextet negotiations on the Iranian nuclear problem can
hardly be discussed in the practical field at a summit of the leaders of
Russia, France and Germany. "We cannot take separate isolated decisions,
this is not the prerogative right of the Group of Three countries," he
elaborated.
"Medvedev, Sarkozy and Merkel are expected to come out in support of
the direct Palestinian-Israeli dialogue," the Kremlin official said.
The Deauville summiteers "will also discuss preparations and will
synchronize the positions ahead of forthcoming major foreign political
events - an OSCE summit (Astana, December 1-2) and a Russia-EU summit
(Brussels, December 7)," Prikhodko added.
Russia hopes to get the right for the G20 presidency in 2013 and would
like to gain the support for the idea of Russia's G20 presidency at a
Deauville summit, Russian presidential aide Sergei Prikhodko told
Itar-Tass.
He pledged that a coming Group of Three summit "definitely does not
run counter to the collective work (in the G20) and should help ponder
over the issues on the G20 agenda in the creative way."
The summiteers "will discuss in detail the cooperation between Russia,
Germany and France in such key international structures as the G8 and the
G20. This discussion is becoming more and more topical taking into account
France's forthcoming presidency in the foresaid organizations," the
Kremlin official said.
A next G20 summit will be held in Seoul on November 11-12, 2010. Then
a G20 summit will be held in November 2011 under France's presidency and
in 2012 under Mexico's presidency. Russia's intentions to host a G20
summit in 2013 have not been approved yet.
A Deauville summit "will also focus on the measures, which the
international community is taking to overcome the aftermath of the world
economic crisis." "Despite the fact that the crisis has not been settled
completely the economies of the three countries are reviving actively.
Russia's trade with the EU states reached 141.8 billion dollars in the
first half of 2010 with a 43.5% year-to-year growth," Prikhodko underlined.