TODAY: EU agrees on mandate to begin negotiations with Russia; Medvedev on first international visit in Kazakhstan, emphasizing the role of the East for Russia; football final passes without a hitch; Storchak refused bail; migrant workers to live in metal containers. European Union countries have finally agreed to begin wide-ranging new negotiations with Russia, bringing to an end an 18-month impasse and raising hopes of an improved relationship. French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said that his country (the next EU president) was also keen to improve relations. Dmitry Medvedev has embarked on his first international trip as President, with his first stop in Kazakhstan, an acknowledgment of the country’s increasing influence in the region. The two countries are expected to discuss space exploration and military cooperation. Analysts say that the trip emphasizes the importance of the East over the West for Russia.