RF, France Foreign, Def ministers to discuss Libya, Syria, ABM.

MOSCOW, September 7 (Itar-Tass) - The 10th session of the
Russia-France Cooperation Council on Security (RFCCS) opens here on
Wednesday. Consultations will be held at the level of Foreign and Defence
ministers -- Sergei Lavrov and Alain Juppe, Anatoly Serdyukov and Gerard
Longuet, respectively. The ministerial talks will focus on the situation
in Libya and Syria, the problems of anti-ballistic missile (ABM) defence,
and Russia's dialogue with the European Union (EU) and NATO.
RF President Dmitry Medvedev is to receive participants in the "two
plus two" format of dialogue on Wednesday.
Russia's Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said earlier
that, considering cooperation between Moscow and Paris in the United
Nations Organization and in the UN Security Council, the sides "will
consider the state of affairs throughout all-European cooperation space
with emphasis on the initiative proposed by the President of the RF to
conclude a legally binding European Security Treaty, on ABM problems, as
well as on Russia's partnership interaction with the EU and NATO".
The Ministers are also to touch upoin the developments in the Middle
East and in North Africa, including Libya and Syria. "The escalation of
tension in the region gives rise to many a question," Lukashevich pointed
out. "In the dialogue with the French partners, it is of importance first
of all to clarify what our two (two) countries -- Permanent Members of the
UNSC -- are ready concertedly to suggest as an optimum recipe for the
international community for settling such crisis situations".
The sides are to exchange views on the nuclear problems of Iran and
the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "On these issues, Russia and
France adhere in many respects to coinciding positions," the diplomat
recalled. "However, there are also certain discrepancies. We are
interested in specifying the sphere of differing approaches, particularly
with an eye to the forthcoming discussions at the 66th session of the UN
General Assembly".
The sides will also discuss the Palestinian-Israeli peace process.
Moscow proceeds from the assumption that "progress in that process is
demanded by the international community. We hope in contact with the
French partners to designate the main lines of our coordinated actions".
The Foreign and Defence ministers are to compare notes on approaches
to establishing a peace process in Afghanistan, consider ways to settle
Kosovo, Dniester region, and Nagorno-Karabakh issues.
Paris refers to the RFCCS as a "special format for dialogue" between
Russia and France. Apart from a plenary meeting, the ministers are also to
hold bilateral talks, a French Foreign Ministry official said.
The RFCCS was set up in 2002 by a decision of the leaders of states.
Its sessions are held regularly once or twice a year. The latest round of
talks in this format was held in Paris on September 7, 2010.