Luxembourg, April 15, SPA -- European Union and Russian justice andinterior ministers held talks Friday aiming to clinch adeal on justice, immigration and border issues. The talks were to focus on closer cooperation in the fieldof immigration and travel, and judicial matters as part ofa new pact between the EU and Russia which also foreseescloser economic, political and cultural ties. Both sides hope the agreement can be signed next month. Efforts to seal a deal have been held up over thecontentious issue of visa arrangements, joint efforts toend conflicts in the Caucasus and Russia's practice ofcharging EU airlines when they fly over Siberia. The EU has been lukewarm to accede to Russian demands itlift visa restrictions for Russians traveling to the25-nation bloc. Russian officials want to abolish visas forEU citizens heading to Russia in return for similarconditions for Russians going to the EU. Justice Minister Luc Frieden of Luxembourg, which holdsthe rotating EU presidency, and EU Justice and Home AffairsCommissioner Franco Frattini were discussing the issueswith Russia's Interior Minister Rachid Nourgaliyev andJustice Minister Yuri Tchaika. The talks included efforts to get Moscow to become moreactive in tackling illegal immigration. The EU has already signed "readmission" accords withAlbania, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka and Macau, under which thecountries take back illegal migrants who entered the EUfrom there. The EU is seeking to sign a similar agreementwith Russia, and has made such a deal a condition foreasing visa requirements for Russians. Moscow, however, hasrefused to agree to the practice.--SPA1335 Local Time 1035 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/254797