The European Union will start talks with Moldova soon on a new cooperation agreement that will bring the ex-Soviet state closer political and economic ties with the bloc, Reuters quoted the EU as saying today. A statement from the Swedish EU presidency and the executive European Commission said the planned deal would go beyond a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement in place since 1998. "A mandate has already been given to the European Commission and negotiations will be launched shortly," the statement said, after an EU delegation headed by Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt visited Europe's poorest nation. Western-leaning parties formed a government last month after beating the incumbent communists in an election. But a protracted deadlock over the presidency is yet to be solved in the country squashed between EU-member Romania and Ukraine.
