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Putin, EU likely to remain at odds

Disputes between Russia and the European Union are wide-ranging. Contentious topics will likely be under discussion at Friday's meeting in Brussels between leaders of the two political powerhouses.  

Russian President Vladimir Putin听补苍诲听European Union听leaders are likely to clash over issues ranging from听Syria听to trade, energy and human rights on Friday when Putin听holds his first talks in听Brussels听since his re-election as president in May.

Relations between the 27-nation bloc and听Russia, its main external supplier of energy and a key trading partner, have been soured by rows over gas pipelines and brewing trade disputes over cars and pigs.

European leaders have taken issue with the jailing of members of punk band Pussy Riot, prosecutions of opposition figures and laws restricting protests and foreign-funded organisations since Putin听was re-elected.

EU foreign policy chief听Catherine Ashton听said in September such moves constituted "a trend that is of very serious concern to the听European Union".

Russian and EU officials expect no breakthroughs in Putin's talks with听European Commission听笔谤别蝉颈诲别苍迟 Jose Manuel Barroso and听European Council听笔谤别蝉颈诲别苍迟听Herman Van Rompuy. Some commentators are surprised Putin听is bothering to make the trip.

"The last few EU-Russia听summits have achieved very little and for Putin听I think it is really a box-ticking exercise and I am almost surprised he is going at all," said听James Nixey, an expert on听Russia听at London's Chatham House think tank.

No meeting of minds is likely over听Syria听where听Russia听has been sharply at odds with Western powers over a conflict that has killed more than 40,000 people since an uprising against President听Bashar al-Assad听began in March 2011.

France听and other Western states have criticised听Russia听for vetoing three U.N. Security Council resolutions aimed at pressuring Assad.

Energy to top agenda听

Energy, long a source of conflict between听Brussels听补苍诲听Moscow, is set to dominate the听Brussels听talks.

Europe听relies on听Russia听to cover around a quarter of its natural gas needs, but over the past decade听Moscow听has had a series of disputes with its ex-Soviet neighbours -听Ukraine听补苍诲听Belarus听- that disrupted its gas exports to听Europe.

Those disputes increased the EU's determination to diversify supply away from听Russia.

Ukraine's president pulled out of gas supply talks with Putin听at the last minute on Tuesday, raising new concerns about the reliability of supplies to听Europe.

The EU's executive Commission added to tensions between听Europe听补苍诲听Moscow听in September when it opened an investigation into suspected anti-competitive market practices by听Russia's state-dominated Gazprom.

Another energy dispute expected to crop up at the summit is over Gazprom's听Nord Stream听gas pipeline.

Nord Stream听carries gas from听Russia听to听Germany, avoiding the eastern European transit states, such as听Ukraine听which听Moscow听has had pricing disputes with in the past.

Gazprom owns 51 percent of听Nord Stream, putting it at odds with EU law preventing suppliers of energy from dominating distribution networks within the EU.

Russia听maintains that the EU legal provision, which could force it to sell off part of its stake, is a restriction on trade that is contrary to听World Trade Organisation听谤耻濒别蝉.

The issue "is certainly one of the obstacles that has to be addressed by Russian and EU energy companies,"听Vladimir Chizhov,听Russia's ambassador to the EU, said this week.

Trade disputes will also be high on the agenda in the talks, which will also involve Russian Foreign Minister听Sergei Lavrov, Energy Minister Alexander Novak and Economy Minister Andrei Belousov.

EU Trade Commissioner听Karel De Gucht听said this month time was running out for听Russia听to settle trade disputes with the EU on everything from pigs to cars and he threatened to take听Moscow听to the WTO.

The EU says听Russia, which joined the WTO this year after a 19-year wait, unfairly levies fees on imported vehicles, unreasonably bans EU exports of live animals and makes it costly for the bloc to export hundreds of products, especially wood.