Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said Wednesday he hoped Russia and the European Union could reach a new partnership agreement in 2009.
Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Frattini added that he hoped an agreement could be made ''possibly before the next European elections and the renewal of the European Commission''.
Russia cooperates with the EU through four 'common spaces', which cover the economy, justice, security, research and culture.
Frattini also said there was an ''excellent level of cooperation'' between Italian energy company Eni and Russian gas giant Gazprom, adding that there was still an ''ample margin'' to develop collaboration.
Eni and Gazprom are currently involved in a 10-billion-euro joint venture to build the South Stream gas pipeline, which would boost Russian gas supplies to southern Europe.
