Russia deplores delay in EU pact talks - Putin

HELSINKI, Nov 24 (Reuters) Russia deplores that EU divisions prevented it starting talks with the European Union on a new partnership agreement at a summit today, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

Poland blocked a EU negotiating mandate for the talks because Russia had refused to lift its embargo on meat imports from the country.

''I ... deplore that we have not started work on developing a new basic agreement between Russia and the EU,'' Putin told a news conference.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso told the conference he had appealed to Putin to lift the ban on Polish foods imports.

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