Russia and the European Union began long-delayed talks on a new cooperation pact at a summit which both sides said turned a new page in their sometimes testy relationship.
A relaxed and smiling Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, making his debut with EU chiefs, hailed the "sincere, neighbourly" mood - in contrast to the bad -tempered last EU summit hosted by Russia under his predecessor Vladimir Putin.
EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said he "really enjoyed this...very open, relaxed, constructive atmosphere" at the three-hour meeting in the Siberian oil town Khanty-Mansiysk, though he studiously avoided comparisons with Mr Putin.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
Now prime minister, Mr Putin did not attend the summit.
The centrepiece of the three-hour meeting was the formal launch of negotiations on a new strategic agreement governing the sometimes strained relations between the EU and Russia, its third biggest trading partner.
A first round of negotiations on the new pact will be held in Brussels on July 4th.
"I believe this new agreement should open a new chapter in our relations," Mr Barroso told a news conference.
"I particularly welcome President Medvedev's recent comments about strengthening the rule of law and working together as responsible members of the international community".
Mr Medvedev said Russia was concerned at a tendency by some EU nations to use the bloc to settle bilateral disputes - a reference to former Soviet allies who delayed the launch of the partnership talks by 18 months because of rows with Moscow.
The talks offered EU chiefs their first opportunity to assess Mr Medvedev, who took office last month after previously serving as deputy prime minister and chairman of Russia's state- controlled gas giant Gazprom.
Mr Barroso described the new Kremlin chief, a former corporate lawyer and longtime Mr Putin ally, as "a very open person who really wants to engage".
Some analysts believe Mr Putin deliberately chose Mr Medvedev to set a more conciliatory tone at the Kremlin as Russia seeks billions of dollars in foreign investment to rebuild its crumbling infrastructure and develop its industry.
But contentious issues remain.
The EU has clashed with Moscow over human rights, democracy and the separatist Georgian region of Abkhazia - all issues raised at today's formal session.
A fresh eve-of-summit trade row broke out between Russia and EU member Finland over timber duties, though in the event both sides played it down at the meeting.
Helsinki said it was considering taxing Russian goods transiting the country after Moscow raised duties on the export of Russian timber, but Brussels officials played down the issue.