MOSCOW, April 24 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's outgoing president told the prime minister of Luxembourg on Thursday that the EU state could help mediate to re-launch talks on a new cooperation agreement between Russia and the 27-nation bloc.
"Politically we very much rely on Luxembourg's friendly attitude to Russia for boosting ties with the EU," Vladimir Putin told Jean-Claude Juncker.
Poland, which had until recently blocked EU-Russia talks on a new Partnership and Cooperation deal over Moscow's embargo on Polish meat, said on Thursday it was ready to lift its objections to negotiations.
Juncker said he expected difficulties in the launch of talks on a new agreement to be ironed out soon.
Putin said Luxembourg has so far invested $30 billion in Russia's economy, and that Russian businesses plan to increase the current level of investment in Luxembourg.
"Our trade is evolving, and we would like to diversify it and have Russian companies investing more in Luxembourg," he said.
The president also invited Luxembourg to cooperate in hi-tech production.
"I know that there are lucrative plans for joint activities, in particular for hi-tech production, and we could enter the markets of third countries, and certainly the European market, with these products," Putin said.
