Negotiations on a new basic partnership agreement between Russia and the European Union could be completed by late 2011-early 2012, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said on Thursday.
Twelve full rounds of talks have already been held, he said.
The new agreement should update and replace the existing Partnership and Cooperation Agreement. The PCA expired at the end of 2007 but was automatically prolonged.
The new deal should provide a comprehensive framework for EU-Russia relations, and include substantive, legally binding commitments in all areas of the partnership, including political dialogue, security issues, economic cooperation, research, education and culture, as well as solid provisions on trade, investment and energy.
The negotiations were started in July 2008, suspended by the EU over the August 2008 war in South Ossetia and restarted in December 2008.
MOSCOW, December 23 (RIA Novosti)
