EU ministers back mandate for Russia pact talks

European Union foreign ministers finally approved a negotiating mandate for talks on a new parnership agreement with Russia on Monday after 18 months of objections by ex-communist members of the bloc. The mandate, already been agreed by ambassadors...

European Union foreign ministers finally approved a negotiating mandate for talks on a new parnership agreement with Russia on Monday after 18 months of objections by ex-communist members of the bloc.

The mandate, already been agreed by ambassadors of the 27 EU states last week, was rubber-stamped without discussion at a meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels, a source for EU President Slovenia said.

The EU hopes to formally launch talks with Russia on a broad new partnership agreement covering political and economic ties, including energy and trade, at a June 26-27 EU-Russia summit in Siberia. Analysts say negotiations and ratification are likely to take several years.

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