Brussels, 20/11/2006 (Agence Europe) - The Finnish Prime Minister, Matti Vanhanen, did not return from Warsaw on 17 November (see EUROPE 9308) with Poland's agreement to the opening of negotiations between the EU and Russia on a new Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, but his visit seems to have made some small breakthrough. "We held a very long discussion, but we did not manage to reach a solution", Mr Vanhanen confirmed on 17 November, further to dinner with his Polish counterpart, Jaroslav Kaczynski. "The Finnish Prime Minister came with a very specific proposal and this is a very serious step forward", the latter commented on Saturday, further to an interview with the Lithuanian Prime Minister, Geiminas Kirkilas. "It is no question of making clarifications and putting it on paper", he added, going on to state that "this is what remains for us to do and we are working on it". The Finnish Presidency also takes the view that the ball is now in the Polish court and hopes that Warsaw will give its green light to a negotiation mandate before the EU/Russia Summit of 24 November. Describing the recent Russian declarations, which indicate that the embargo on Polish meat may be lifted as soon as the technical questions have been resolved, as "encouraging", Mr Vanhanen told the COSAC meeting in Helsinki on Monday that a satisfactory solution may be achieved "by pragmatic means". In Warsaw the same day, Mr Kaczynski stated, according to the press agency AFP: "we are not far from a solution, but I cannot say for certain that we will not be keeping our veto in place". The question of the embargo was also raised on Monday on the sidelines of the Agriculture Council in Brussels, between Commissioner Kyprianou and the Polish Agriculture Minister, Andrezj Lepper, but for the time being, talks have not led to a change in the Polish position. (ab)