EU "Troika" to sound out Russia on Kosovo, energy

MOSCOW, Feb 5 (Reuters) A trio of top EU officials was in Moscow today to try to bridge the gap between Russia and the European Union over the future of Kosovo.

The so-called Troika of EU foreign policy officials will also touch on Russia's role as an energy supplier, and a Russian ban on imports of Polish meat that has frozen talks on an EU-Russian partnership agreement.

The Troika -- German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner -- will meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on their one-day visit.

Steinmeier is part of the Troika because Germany holds the EU's rotating presidency.

Three days ago a United Nations envoy unveiled a proposal to set Kosovo on the path to independence from Serbia.

Russia, an historic ally of Serbia, opposes the plan and could use its veto in the UN Security Council to block it.

Asked how close the EU and Russia were on the status of Kosovo, a European Commission official said: ''We'll know after the discussions today.'' In an interview published on Monday in a Russian newspaper, Solana said Kosovo was the key issue facing Europe this year.

''Russia, as a permanent member (of the UN Security Council), carries particular responsibility on the question of Kosovo's status,'' he told the Vremya Novostei daily.

EU and Russian officials say the row over Polish meat is moving towards a resolution but progress has been slow.

Russia says it has food safety concerns about meat imports from Poland but many politicians in Warsaw believe the Kremlin is using the ban as a political weapon.

Warsaw is vetoing the start of talks on an EU-Russian partnership pact until Moscow lifts the ban. The EU official said Russian inspectors are due in Poland this week to review Polish food safety arrangements.

The European Union is also seeking reassurances from Russia on energy. The brief cut-off last month of a pipeline taking Russian oil to parts of northern Europe revived old doubts about Russia's reliability as an energy supplier.

REUTERS AKJ VV1305