Estonia issue to be raised at Russia-EU summit - Kremlin source

The issue of a Soviet WWII memorial in Estonia will be raised at a Russia-EU summit but closer cooperation between Russia and the European Union will top the summit's agenda, a Kremlin source said Sunday.

MOSCOW, May 13 (RIA Novosti) - The issue of a Soviet WWII memorial in Estonia will be raised at a Russia-EU summit but closer cooperation between Russia and the European Union will top the summit's agenda, a Kremlin source said Sunday.

The decision by Estonia, an EU member since 2004, to remove the Bronze Soldier monument from the center of Tallinn to a cemetery on the outskirts and exhume the remains of the soldiers buried underneath sparked violent protests from the ex-Soviet Baltic republic's ethnic Russian community. One person was killed and several dozen injured in clashes with police on April 27.

"This is a politicized issue and it will have its place at the summit," the source said.

The summit, to be held in the Volga city of Samara May 17-18, is expected to focus on advances towards a visa-free regime and in international affairs, and broaden the Russia-EU contractual framework, the source said.