The European Union agreed on Monday to resume talks with Russia on a partnership pact.
The 27-nation bloc froze talks on the pact after an incursion by Russia into Georgia over the breakaway South Ossetia region in August.
Following a gradual pullback of Russian troops, most EU member states consider it is now in Europe's interest to resume talks on a pact that covers political, economic and trade ties. Russia is their major supplier of energy.
EU states have been grappling with the issue for weeks. Britain and Sweden are among a minority of countries with reservations about relaunching the negotiations.
EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said on Monday that new talks could go ahead after a EU-Russia summit on Friday and peace talks in Geneva on 18 November.
Georgian Prime Minister Grigol Mgaloblishvili earlier warned the EU that its decision would encourage Russian aggression.
