EU tackles splits on Russia

EU-Russia relations, enlargement and European battle groups are on the agenda as Europe’s foreign and defence ministers meet in Brussels on Monday.

Foreign ministers will hold a behind-closed-doors session to thrash out a line on 2007 negotiations for a new energy and trade agreement between the EU and Russia.

Poland is threatening a veto over Russia's non-ratification of international energy charters and Moscow’s blocking of imports of Polish food.

The issue is set to be a major talking point at a December meeting of EU leaders and the agenda is to be ironed out by foreign ministers.

Early discussions on Turkey’s EU entry bid and Ankara’s refusal to open ports to Cyprus will follow the European commission’s decision last week to let the December summit settle the question.

On the international agenda, foreign ministers are expected to underline EU support for efforts by the Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas to form a government with Hamas.

Ministers are set to register “strong concerns” over Israel’s military action in Gaza after international protests following artillery attacks on Beit Hanoun that killed 19 people last Wednesday.

Sanctions on Uzbekistan, after the bloody suppression of Andijan protests in May 2005, are to be reviewed following requests by Germany and others for punitive measures to be eased.

Europe’s defence ministers hold separate talks to review EU peacekeeping missions in Bosnia and Congo.

Plans to cut the EU’s Bosnia force from 6500 to 1500 will be shelved until 2007 amid concerns over Balkans tensions surrounding a UN decision on the future of Kosovo in early 2007.

Defence ministers are also set to agree plans for two EU battle groups to be operational from January 2007.

The rapid reaction troops will be available for duty on a six-monthly rotation rosta: a Franco-Belgium battle group and another formed by Germany, Finland and the Netherlands will be the first.

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