TODAY: Russia-EU talks mandate: still no agreement; A Just Russia to hold annual congress; “PR battle” relations with Georgia worsen; the demographic trend of depopulation. Also: Japan, Iran, Prokhorov, Ukraine. Talks in Brussels have failed to reach an agreement on a mandate for partnership talks between Russia and the EU, although diplomats are hopeful that a decision will be reached by the end of May. The Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights, Thomas Hammarberg, will meet with Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev today. This comment piece implies that Medvedev’s presidency and Putin’s premiership will be a change of roles that will allow things to remain the same. “Medvedev is to keep the throne warm for his master.” A Just Russia will hold its third annual congress today, and is expected to “expel thousands of members who were not aware that they were members”.