Top EU delegation in Moscow talks

Russia and the EU are holding their first high-level talks since relations were strained over the interruptions to Russian gas supplies last month.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso is leading a team of nine commissioners in the discussions.

Going into the talks in Moscow, Mr Barroso spoke of the need for "positive interdependence" in EU-Russia ties.

Russia's plan to build military bases in two breakaway regions of Georgia is also expected to be high on the agenda.

On Thursday, the Czech Republic, holder of the EU presidency, said it was "seriously concerned" by the moves in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, over which Russia and Georgia went to war last August.

"The EU would consider the implementation of such plans to be a serious violation of the principle of Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity," it said.

'Many issues'

At the start of the talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Mr Barroso told reporters that negotiations on a new framework agreement were under way and that the EU was "very interested in developing these negotiations in a positive and constructive way".


He said the nine commissioners represented "the many issues we need to discuss so that we can deepen our relationship".

Mr Barroso said the Russia-Ukraine gas dispute was one of the issues and reiterated his disappointment at the incident.

"It is important now to create conditions for this kind of crisis not to happen again. We believe energy security is a very important sphere of interest for Russia and the European Union."

"And this positive interdependence is more important now than ever because we are facing a very serious global financial crisis," he said.

Mr Medvedev said there needed to be a "fully-fledged international legal system" to prevent a recurrence.

"The recent gas crisis has shown things are not all right," he said.

'Test'

The BBC's Richard Galpin in Moscow says the gas row has shaken EU countries' faith in both Russia and Ukraine as energy partners.

A commission spokesman told the BBC that the meetings with Mr Medvedev, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and members of his cabinet were a test - to see if the political relationship can move forward.


He stressed that reliability and predictability were key for a proper partnership.

Last month, Mr Barroso told the European Parliament that the dispute between Ukraine and Russia over gas prices was "most unacceptable and incredible".

Russia cut gas supplies to Ukraine on New Year's Day, saying it would pump only enough for customers further down the pipeline. But then Moscow accused Ukraine of siphoning off gas intended for third countries.

Ukraine denied the claim, but the flow of Russian gas ceased completely on 7 January, leaving many European countries with major shortages.

Hundreds of thousands of people went without heating in Eastern and South-Eastern. Bulgaria, one of the hardest hit countries and a historical ally of Russia, had to close schools and public buildings.

Gas flows were resumed on 12 January after Russia and Ukraine finally agreed prices at which Ukraine would buy gas, and ship it to Europe.