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EU moves closer to restart of EU-Russia talks
Mon Nov 10, 2008 7:37am EST
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By David Brunnstrom and Mark John
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union edged closer to agreeing a restart of talks with Russia on a partnership pact on Monday after Britain and Sweden backed the move despite their concerns over Moscow's troop presence in Georgia.
Their decision, which followed acknowledgements by Lithuania and Poland that they could not block such a move, made it more likely that an EU-Russia summit on Friday will give the green light for negotiations frozen by the EU in September after the war between Russia and Georgia.
EU states have been grappling with the issue for weeks, with Britain, Sweden among a minority of countries with reservations about relaunching the negotiations on the key pact.
"To have a relationship with Russia that has a framework is better for the EU," EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said as foreign ministers met on the matter in Brussels.
The foreign ministers of Britain and Sweden said they backed a resumption as it was in the interests of the 27-state bloc. "We are not turning the page on the conflict in Georgia," Britain's David Miliband and Sweden's Carl Bildt said in a statement, adding that they would ask their EU counterparts that the EU-Russia relationship be kept under regular review.
"There is no question of the EU rewarding bad behavior. What we've seen is some movement from Russia, some significant movement, but not yet a complete withdrawal," Miliband said of the terms of a peace deal to end the conflict over the breakaway South Ossetia and Abkhazia regions of Georgia.
The proposed EU-Russia pact covers political, trade and economic ties between the bloc and its major energy supplier.
The Kremlin has been markedly less enthusiastic than the EU about the arrangement, traditionally preferring to deal with European states individually.
RUSSIA WELCOMES SIGNS
But Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov welcomed signs the EU wanted to return "to work as 'as usual'" with Russia.
"We...express our wish to turn the page and increase mutual activities," he said in an interview with Finnish newspaper Helsingen Sanomat released by Russia's foreign ministry on Monday.
"We want durable, long-lasting and close relations with the EU as a strategic partner," Lavrov said. "From our side there are no obstacles to full development (of ties) in all spheres."
Lithuania, with some backing from Poland, has argued that Russia has not met all the commitments imposed on it by a French-brokered ceasefire.
Georgia said full Russian compliance would require Moscow to withdraw forces from Akhalgori and Kodori Valley areas and reverse its military buildups in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
A statement from Georgian Prime Minister Grigol Mgaloblishvili said Russia also needed to grant unfettered access to international observers to the breakaway regions and provide security guarantees for ethnic Georgians there. Continued...
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