The European Union counts on Russia's proactive role in looking for solutions to conflicts both in former Soviet states and other countries, a high-ranking European official told journalists on condition of anonymity ahead of the Russia-EU summit in Brussels.
At the summit, the EU will reiterate the need to resolve the Transdniestrian conflict because it is obvious that what is being done there today is not enough, he said.
Following the parliamentary elections in Georgia, a chance has opened up to improve relations between Tbilisi and Moscow and restore stability in the Caucasus, the official said.
The EU welcomes the first contact between high-ranking officials of Russia and Georgia, which took place last week, and calls on Russia to continue this policy, he said.
But the EU also thinks that Georgia ought to remain a fully sovereign country within its internationally recognized borders, the official said.
The EU is troubled by the situation surrounding talks on Nagorno-Karabakh and hopes that a solution could soon be found to this conflict, he said.
Commenting on other conflicts around the world, the official reiterated the EU’s support for the efforts of UN and Arab League peace envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi, urging Russia to make the most of all the levers available to it to help resolve this crisis.
At the summit, the sides will also reaffirm their commitments as part of the peace process between the Palestinian National Authority and Israel and will discuss the possibility of acting both through negotiations and sanctions to make progress in the Iranian nuclear issue, he said.
Russia and the EU will be able to bridge the gap between their approaches to the Syrian conflict through discussions, the official said.
Russia and the EU see eye to eye on the goals of this process but remain split over the means to achieve these goals, he said.
Discussions should continue because it is just the way things are done with friends, he added.
