"On the whole, presently there are no obstacles for a full-format development of [Russia-EU] relations in all directions," he told journalists when asked whether the recent Caucasus events have slowed down the talks.
Berlusconi also said he saw nothing that could hinder the pact from being signed.
"Now I don't see any barriers for reaching an agreement on partnership and cooperation which is absolutely positive for both the European Union and Russia," the Italian premier told the press.
The 27-nation bloc announced on September 1 that it had suspended talks on the pact with Russia over Moscow's presence in Georgia following a brief conflict over breakaway South Ossetia. The EU said it would not resume the talks - which had been scheduled for September 16 - until Russia pulled all its troops in Georgia back to their pre-conflict positions.
Although Moscow has completed its troop pullout from buffer zones in Georgia, questions remain over the scale of its presence in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, another breakaway Georgian region. Furthermore, some EU member states said they wanted to see progress in talks on the future of the two disputed republics, which Russia has recognized as independent, before discussing relations with Moscow.
The first round of talks on a new wide-ranging deal between Russia and the EU was held in July. The agreement is set to replace the 1997 Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, which was extended for a year when it expired in December 2007. The start of the talks was delayed over disputes between Russia and EU members Poland and Lithuania.
