Intel plans to open a new research and development site in Finland, starting with some 200 staff at a time when Finnish partner Nokia is to unveil large job cuts. A spokeswoman for the world's top semiconductor firm said the company has started hiring hardware and software engineers, but was yet to open the site.

Intel has worked closely with Nokia on developing the MeeGo software platform for mobile devices, but Nokia pulled back from the collaboration in February when the Finnish firm said it would focus on Microsoft software.

Unions fear the software choice will cost more than 5,000 lost jobs for Finnish engineers. Nokia has said it would unveil the job cuts at the end of April.

Nokia has promised to roll out later this year one device running the MeeGo operating system.

Google and Skype have said openly they are seeking to tap into Finnish engineering talent looking for new jobs following Nokia's announcement. Also Samsung <005930.KS> said it was luring away developers working on Nokia's legacy Symbian platform.

(Reporting by Tarmo Virki and Noel Randewich; Editing by Jon Loades-Carter)

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