(BRUSSELS) - The next round of EU-Russia negotiations on a new strategic partnership pact are still due to take place in mid-September despite flaring tensions, the European Commission said Thursday.

The meeting, which is scheduled for September 15-16 in Brussels, "is still scheduled, but we cannot prejudge any discussions that take place next week," commission spokesman Peter Power told journalists.

EU leaders will hold a summit in Brussels on Monday to discuss the situation in Georgia and relations with Russia, and the bloc's foreign ministers will also hold talks in the southern French city of Avignon late in the week.

After months of disagreement among EU members, negotiations finally got formally underway between the bloc and Russia on a new partnership accord at a summit in Siberia on June 26-27.

However, the conflict over Georgia and the EU's condemnation of Russia's recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia have raised doubts that negotiations will be pursued.

EU-Russia tensions soared on Thursday as French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner raised the prospect of sanctions against Moscow, which promptly dismissed the warning.

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