Russia's Lavrov To Discuss Iran, North Korea With EU

"Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov holds talks on global flashpoints, including Iran and North Korea, with key European Union officials in Brussels on Friday. Lavrov will meet Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja, whose country holds the current EU presidency, as well as the bloc's chief diplomat Javier Solana.

EU diplomats said discussions will also focus on the situation in the Middle East following Solana's recent visit to the region. Georgia and Kosovo are also on the agenda of the day-long talks.

Russia, as a veto-wielding member of the United Nations Security Council, is under pressure from the EU and the US to take a stronger stance on the nuclear ambitions of Iran and North Korea.

Moscow, however, has so far been loath to apply tough sanctions on either country and is currently building a light-water nuclear reactor in Bushehr, south-west Iran.

The meeting will also focus on preparations for an EU-Russia Summit in Helsinki on November 24.

EU governments are anxious to upgrade energy links with Russia, currently the leading supplier of natural gas and oil to the 25-nation bloc.

However, Russian President Vladimir Putin made it clear at a meeting with EU leaders in Finland last month that he had no intention of changing Moscow's tough rules on foreign access to energy markets."