Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates said on Sunday that
during Portugal's European Union (EU) six-month presidency he will
give priority to European reform, EU ties with China, Russia and
Brazil.
Socrates, who on Monday will preside over Lisbon's first
government meeting with the European Commission in Oporto, said EU
ties with China and Russia will be analyzed in the meeting.
Prior to assuming the EU presidency, Socrates visited Beijing
and Moscow to prepare the EU summit for the second half of 2007
with Russia and China.
Socrates said the EU-China summit in Beijing "is important for
both parties," since there are a series of issues "demanding
negotiation," such as the acknowledgement of China as a market
economy.
In his meeting in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin,
Socrates said "relations between the EU and Russia need mutual
confidence" and cannot be contaminated by "irresponsible lessons"
in democracy and human rights issues.
According to Portuguese officials, one of the fundamental issues
on the EU-Brazil agenda is energy, since Brazil has placed its beds
on biofuel production.
Portugal assumed on Sunday the European Union's (EU)
rotating-six-month presidency.
(Xinhua News Agency July 2, 2007)
