Merkel, Medvedev say they want new EU-Russia Security Committee

MESEBERG, Germany — Germany and Russia on Saturday proposed a joint European Union-Russian security committee aimed at resolving regional crises and conflicts.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev told reporters after a meeting outside of Berlin on that the constant contact between the EU and Russia on security matters needs to progress to a higher level.

"This should help to resolve difficult situations better than in the past," Merkel said.

Russia's president arrived Friday for a two-day exchange with Merkel at the Meseberg mansion in the countryside outside Berlin.

Merkel and Medvedev said in 10 hours of talks they covered a wide range of issues including the euro crisis, financial markets regulation, and international issues like Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia.

The proposed new forum, called the EU-Russia Political and Security Committee, should work on the ministerial level, with the EU High Representative Catherine Ashton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in charge, they said in a joint written statement.

Its main purpose should be to "establish ground rules for joint EU-Russia civil/military crisis management operations," the statement said. In addition, it should work on specific issues, conflicts, and crisis situations, it said.

The first issue to be tackled could be the Transdniester conflict which has troubled Russia, Ukraine, Moldavia, and the EU for almost two decades, it said.

The co-operation "could include a joint EU-Russia engagement, which would guarantee a smooth transition of the present situation to a final stage," according to the statement.

No agreement was reached, however, on lifting visa obligations for travels between Russia and the European Union.

Merkel said Germany has always taken a "careful approach" toward the visa question.

"It is not about postponing this forever," she added. "We are now at the stage where we will very specifically talk about what needs to be done to lift the need for visas."

Medvedev said Russia is ready to go ahead with ending visa obligations.

"If we can agree on this, this will change the quality of our lives," he said according to his official interpreter. "This will make us true strategic partners."