Moscow, Nov 23 (IANS): Russia has said that it is in favour of a free trade zone between the European Union (EU) and the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU).

This was reiterated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Saturday, Xinhua reported.

"The work is underway and it has become a part of the diplomacy. I am sure that we will come to the point, which is called 'the integration of integrations'," Lavrov was quoted as saying.

The idea of setting up the EEU -- an EU-style alliance -- was proposed and agreed upon in May, when the heads of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia met at a summit in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan.

The suggestion would now be brought up at a ministerial council meeting of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in December in Basel, Switzerland, Lavrov clarified.

According to Lavrov, the EEU will be a very important element to build a bridge between Europe and the Asia-Pacific, Xinhua reported, citing the Interfax news agency.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has supported the idea of establishing dialogue between the EU and the EEU, Lavrov revealed.

The Russian foreign minister said that the EU is Russia's major partner, and "nobody is going to shoot itself in the foot and reject co-operation with Europe."

"Our economy is of course, damaged by the sanctions, but so are the economies of the countries which had introduced them," Lavrov said.