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EU debates reviving Russian talks EU debates reviving Russian talks
(30 minutes later)
European Union foreign ministers are set to decide whether to end the freeze on partnership talks with Russia, which were halted over the Georgian conflict.European Union foreign ministers are set to decide whether to end the freeze on partnership talks with Russia, which were halted over the Georgian conflict.
France's Bernard Kouchner will give counterparts in Luxembourg his views on Russia's withdrawal from Georgia, after his visit there last week.France's Bernard Kouchner will give counterparts in Luxembourg his views on Russia's withdrawal from Georgia, after his visit there last week.
Mr Kouchner says "problems remain" over Russia's compliance with a ceasefire. The EU last week welcomed Russia's pull-out from buffer zones next to breakaway South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
The foreign ministers also look set to ease sanctions on Belarus, in a bid to encourage democratic reforms. But Mr Kouchner says "problems remain" over Russia's compliance with a truce.
And they will discuss measures to tackle the global financial crisis. There is still not agreement on whether Moscow has fully complied with the terms of an EU-mediated ceasefire.
Mr Kouchner will brief his colleagues on the extent of Russian troop withdrawal.
The EU last week welcomed the pull-out of Russian forces from buffer zones next to Georgia's two breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
But there is still not agreement on whether Moscow has fully complied with the terms of an EU-mediated ceasefire.
Georgia says Russian troops are still in areas they did not occupy before hostilities broke out.Georgia says Russian troops are still in areas they did not occupy before hostilities broke out.
France, which holds the EU presidency, wants to unfreeze talks on a new partnership deal with Russia soon.France, which holds the EU presidency, wants to unfreeze talks on a new partnership deal with Russia soon.
But Britain, Sweden and former Soviet satellites like Poland say Europe should not rush into such a politically sensitive move.But Britain, Sweden and former Soviet satellites like Poland say Europe should not rush into such a politically sensitive move.
Reward for Belarus
The EU foreign ministers will, however, make a gesture towards Moscow's close ally Belarus, by holding talks with their counterpart Sergei Martynov.
It is the EU's first high-level contact with the country dubbed Europe's last dictatorship in four years.
Poland and Finland are also pushing for travel restrictions on some 40 senior Belarussian officials to be temporarily lifted, as a reward for the release of the country's last three political prisoners this summer.
But amid serious concerns about the conduct of recent elections in Belarus, an asset freeze against the officials, including President Alexander Lukashenko, will stay in place.
EU foreign ministers are also expected to suspend some sanctions against Uzbekistan - though not an arms embargo - and promise closer ties to another former Soviet republic, Moldova.
A senior European diplomat said the EU had to strengthen involvement with its eastern neighbourhood as a reaction to events in Georgia, and a counterweight to its relations with Russia.