MOSCOW, May 10 (RIA Novosti ) - Russia and the European Union have adopted "roadmap" plans of action on four common spaces, i.e. economics; freedom, security, and justice; external security; and research, education, and culture, at their summit underway in Moscow. The idea to create the common spaces was floated at the Russia-EU summit in St. Petersburg in May 2003.
According to a senior Kremlin official, "implementing the roadmaps will facilitate the most crucial objectives: of creating a Europe without borderlines; ensuring conditions for free contacts between people; giving effective protection to all people, including ethnic minorities; stepping up trade and business cooperation; and removing barriers to mutual trade."
Among other objectives facing Russia and the Union are "creating a common and integral security space that will help withstand new threats and challenges and counter terrorism, xenophobia, and racial intolerance; build up research and education potentials; ensure mutual cultural enrichment," according to the source.
