The European Union was to resume key partnership talks with Russia Tuesday, aimed at boosting economic and diplomatic ties, three months after they were frozen in the wake of the Georgia conflict.
The European Commission's lead negotiator Eneko Landaburu was due to meet Russia's E.U. ambassador Vladimir Chizhov in Brussels later in the day to relaunch the talks which were frozen on Sept. 1 in protest at Russia's actions in Georgia.
The negotiations are aimed at forging a framework to manage the E.U. and Russia's diplomatic and commercial ties and ensure constant supplies of Russian oil and gas.
The strategic partnership talks had opened in July, with just one round of formal negotiations before they were frozen after the short war in Georgia.
Russian tanks rolled into Georgia in August and Moscow subsequently recognized as independent the breakaway Georgian provinces of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, facts which will cast a shadow over the talks.
It wasn't until Nov. 10, just ahead of an E.U.-Russia summit, that the E.U took the decision to resume the talks, despite the dissenting voice of Lithuania.
The wide-ranging negotiations may take a long time as they will include everything from justice to immigration, human rights and education.
Landaburu has pointedly refused to set a calendar.
"That depends on the will of both sides," he told AFP, saying that he expected to meet Chizhov every six to eight weeks.
The Georgia conflict and Russia's recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia will are being discussed by Moscow and Tbilisi in separate talks in Geneva.
For Landaburu problems may be encountered over economic issues, particularly on reliable energy supplies from Russia which "could be the most difficult" topic.
However the E.U. negotiator insisted that the resumption of the talks didn't constitute a normalization of relations with Moscow as major differences remain over Georgia, which has ambitions to join both the E.U. and NATO.
"We are resuming the discussions because it is in the interests of both sides," he said.