Russian President Vladimir Putin to hold bilateral meetings with foreign leaders within APEC summit

Vladimir Putin will hold a number of bilateral meetings within the framework of the APEC summit in Los-Cabos (Mexico).

The forum will take place on October 25th-27th.

Deputy Kremlin chief of staff Sergei Prikhodko pointed out that Vladimir Putin would meet, in particular, US president George Bush, PRC chairman Jiang Zemin, Prime Minister of Japan Junichiro Koizumi, and Prime Minister of Canada Jean Chretien.

According to Prikhodko, the main issue to be discussed by the Russian and US leaders will be "further development and deepening of bilateral collaboration on the key questions of strategic stability," as well as the realisation of agreements on strategic offensive weapons cuts.

Putin and Bush are going to consider the situation in Iraq, the Middle East settlement, and the struggle against terrorism, Prikhodko said.

It is not ruled out that the US president will ask his Russian counterpart to express his views concerning the inter-Korean settlement.

The two presidents will also discuss trade and economic ties where "there are much more non-realized" than implemented plans so far. In addition, Russia "cannot be satisfied" with the level of these ties, Prikhodko stressed.

On the whole, the aim of this talk, which will last for one hour and a half or two hours, is to further develop Russian-American collaboration in all directions, Prikhodko said and stressed that the Russian side "is preparing for a serious conversation." According to the deputy Kremlin chief of staff, Vladimir Putin and Jiang Zemin plan to touch upon, during their meeting, the preparation for the official visit of the head of the Russian state to the PRC, the prospects for the trade, economic, military and technical cooperation, and strengthening collaboration in the international arena.

The leaders of Russia and China, Prikhodko pointed out, are expected to discuss the situation in Afghanistan and Central Asia. They will also specify their stands "on the crisis situations - the Middle East settlement and Iraq." As far as the meeting of the Russian president with the Japanese premier is concerned "a special agenda" was not prepared for it, Prikhodko said. He also expressed doubt that during the meeting the sides will discuss the problem of concluding the Russian-Japanese peace treaty.

Russia is going to raise the question pertaining to the need of tangibly stepping up trade and economic cooperation." The point at issue will, evidently be the inter-Korean settlement and preparation of Junichiro Koizumi's Russian visit.