EU-Russia talks to start in coming months -Finland

HELSINKI, Dec 29 (Reuters) Finland's foreign minister said today he hopes talks between the European Union and Russia on a new cooperation pact will start in coming months.

Finland, set to hand over the rotating EU presidency to Germany on January 1, tried to reach a deal on the issue but Poland blocked the launch of talks. Poland wants Moscow to end a ban on Polish meat imports before negotiations start.

''I believe the talks will start sooner rather than later and in this case we are speaking about a few months,'' Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja told a news conference.

The agreement between EU and Russia is to cover a wide range of issues from energy to trade and human rights.

EU officials have said internal talks in the bloc aimed at resolving the impasse would restart in January.

Moscow cited cases of export fraud with Polish veterinary certificates to justify its ban on meat imports, while Warsaw insists it is politically motivated.

The Polish veto has worsened latent hostility between Warsaw and its former Soviet master and caused embarrassment for the EU which failed to speak with a single voice on the cooperation talks at a meeting last month with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Reuters PDM VV1616