Relations between Sweden and Russia haven’t been the best in recent times.

But at a EU-Russia summit in Stockholm, there were many smiling faces.

Talks were held on climate change, the global economy and human rights.

Nations came up with a plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions ahead of a global climate change meeting in Copenhagen next month.

[Benita Ferrero-Waldner, EU Commissioner, External Relations]:
"I must say we got a very interesting new step forward for Russia. Russia is now ready to go for a reduction of 20-25% compared with 1990 levels of CO2 emissions. I think this is a very important step forward. We are happy about that, because indeed Russia is a very big international player on this scene and of course we are before the Copenhagen Summit."

Also on the agenda was the issue of human rights in Russia. Many human rights organizations have called on the EU to put pressure on Moscow.

[Benita Ferrero-Waldner, EU Commissioner, External Relations]:  
"We always ask Russia to really prosecute the perpetrators of violations and we want to see Russia really improve the situation with rule of law, democracy, freedom of speech.  And also we want to see, of course, security for human rights defenders."

This was the 24th EU-Russia summit.

NTD, Stockholm, Sweden.