Russia-EU Western Balkans (COWEB) and EU Enlargement (COELA) Expert Consultations

Submitted on Sun, 10/28/2012 - 23:00

On October 25-26, 2012 regular Russia-EU expert-level consultations on the Western Balkans (COWEB) and EU enlargement (COELA) were held in Brussels within the framework of the Russia – EU Political Dialogue.

Mr. Andrey M. MASSLOV, Director of the 4th European Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, led the Russian delegation. From the EU side the talks were conducted, respectively, by Mr. Fernando GENTILINI, Director for Western Europe, Western Balkans and Turkey, European External Action Service (EEAS), and Mr. Evangelos SAVVA, Coordinator for Enlargement, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus.

During the meetings a traditionally open, in-depth and detailed exchange of views took place on recent developments in the Balkans (focusing, inter alia, on the situation in and around Kosovo and Bosnia), as well as in the context of European perspective for the Western Balkans, Iceland and Turkey.