Brussels - Europe's leaders have already said that they want the world's greatest powers to create a new brand of capitalism.

When they meet in Brussels on Friday ahead of a major world summit in Washington on November 15, they have to agree on the much more

difficult question of how far they should try to go right now.

Brussels - The European Union should re-open talks within days on a strategic deal with Russia which it froze following Russia's invasion of Georgia, the bloc's executive said Wednesday.

"It is the view of the (European) Commission that the next negotiating sessions should be scheduled now," a report on the EU's relationship with Russia from the Brussels-based body said.

Brussels- The European Union should re-open talks on a strategic deal with Russia which it froze following Russia's invasion of Georgia as soon as possible, the bloc's executive said Wednesday.

"It is the view of the (European) Commission that the next negotiating sessions should be scheduled now," a report from the Brussels-based body on the EU's relationship with Russia said.

Brussels  - Serbia could become a candidate for European Union membership in 2009 if it proves that it is doing its best to catch war-crimes suspects, the EU's executive said Wednesday.

Brussels - Turkey has proven itself to be a reliable international partner and a key energy transit route, but it must work harder on political and human-rights reforms if it wants to join the European Union, the EU's executive said Wednesday.

Brussels - The European Union's executive body is set Wednesday to give its verdict on the progress Turkey and a number of Balkan states have made towards joining the union, and to sum up the state of the bloc's relations with Russia.

"We want to see Turkey focus truly and with determination on its European journey, with a clear sense of direction. Preparing for future membership means creating new opportunities for citizens in a more open society," EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said in a speech Tuesday.