EU to open partnership talks with Russia

RUSSIA: European Union nations on Wednesday gave the green light for talks to open on a new partnership accord with Russia, the EU's Slovenian presidency announced.

The presidency said it had secured agreement "on a negotiating mandate for a new comprehensive EU-Russia agreement," which will be formally approved by European Union foreign ministers when they meet in Brussels on Monday.

The talks have been blocked for over 18 months - first by Poland, then by Lithuania, which had refused to let them start due to differences in areas such as energy and Russia's stance on "frozen conflicts" in states such as Georgia.

Brussels, Wednesday, AFP