European Union eager to hold dialogue with Eurasian Economic Union - Lavrov

MOSCOW, January 15. /TASS/. The European Union (EU) is demonstrating eagerness to hold dialogue with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) regarding technical issues, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at an annual news conference on Monday. According to the minister, only a year ago Brussels used all possible ways not to "even acknowledge any functionality" of the EAEU. "It was of course related to political and ideological reasons, similar to NATO being reluctant to acknowledge the CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization) as an organization NATO can hold dialogue with, though certain progress has been there at some stage as well," he explained. "Still now the European Union assumes steps towards acknowledging the reality and at least is ready for a dialogue between the European Commission and the Eurasian Economic Commission on regulatory and technical issues, though they are connected with practical movement of goods, which probably sets up a basis for further steps towards cooperation expansion," Lavrov said. Read more