Russia: German Chancellor Angela Merkel voiced concern on Friday about Russian opposition activists having problems in traveling to the site of a planned demonstration in the Volga River city of Samara.
"I'm concerned about some people getting problems in traveling here. I hope they will be given an opportunity to express their opinion," Merkel said at a news conference wrapping up an EU-Russia summit at a resort near Samara following talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
One of the Kremlin's biggest detractors, chess great Garry Kasparov, was barred on Friday from boarding a flight from Moscow to Samara.
Kasparov had planned to take part in a protest march in Samara Friday afternoon, but police seized his ticket and passport. Fellow dissident Eduard Limonov also was blocked from boarding the flight, along with several foreign journalists.
"Clearly the purpose is to prevent Garry and Limonov from making it to the march," Kasparov aide Marina Litvinovich said.
Merkel's remark came amid a sometimes fractious exchange between Putin and EU leaders at the news conference over democratic freedoms and the government's treatment of critics - two of the many issues haunting Russia-EU relations.
European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said that it was "critically important to ensure full respect" for "principles and values" he said should be shared by all European countries - "and Russia is a European country."
Putin sought to turn the tables, questioning European police practices. Amid European criticism of beatings by police at recent Russian protests, he demanded that those responsible for the death of a man during riots over the removal of a monument to a Soviet soldier in EU member Estonia be brought to justice.
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Talks between Russian and European Union leaders Friday focused on ways to resolve a slew of disputes and move their troubled relationship forward.
Starting the main meeting at a summit that was not expected to yield any agreements, Putin and Merkel suggested they were setting their sights on making progress toward unraveling thorny issues.
"We are ready for an open and honest dialogue, without any forbidden subjects, that would allow us to move our relationship forward," said Putin.
Merkel said the summit would help the EU and Russia "to decide on specific steps to advance our relations and resolve the outstanding issues."
"There are many areas in which we could cooperate," she said, emphasizing the importance of energy ties and the need to cooperate in resolving global conflicts.
But expectations were low for a summit vexed by energy, trade and security issues, as well as a deep wariness that is marring ties between the West and an increasingly assertive Russia.
The Kremlin accuses the West of trying to isolate Russia and meddle in its internal affairs. EU leaders are alarmed by Moscow's harsh rhetoric and the government's crackdown on its critics ahead of December elections.
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