Diplomatic error. Reservations on the part of some member states and a gaffe from Moscow prevented the EU from formally announcing the resumption of negotiations on a new partnership agreement with Russia. But sensitivities and caution cannot alter the fact: the negotiations will begin again shortly (see this column in newsletter No 9760). The Russian slip-up was in calling for South Ossetia and Abkhazia to be officially involved in the Geneva meeting organised by the UN, the EU and the OSCE...