MOSCOW, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- Russia is looking to establish a good relationship with the European Union's (EU) new leadership, news agencies quoted Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying on Friday.

    "I am sure that Herman Van Rompuy (President of the European Council) will continue pursuing a line toward developing a strategic partnership with Russia," Lavrov told reporters after talks with his German counterpart Guido Westerwelle.

    Russia and the EU held a summit in Sweden earlier this week, highlighting their cooperation on climate change, energy supplies and trade. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso described the talks as "one of the best meetings" they have had.

    Leaders of the 27-member alliance elected on Thursday Belgian Prime Minister Van Rompuy as the EU's first full-time president and British EU Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton as foreign policy chief.

    Under the Lisbon Treaty on EU reform, the president will "take on the work currently assigned to rotating presidencies" and "facilitate cohesion and consensus within the European Council." Van Rompuy will take office on Jan. 1, 2010 for a term of two and a half years.