Presidents of Russia and Poland negotiating on board Russian cruiser

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Polish counterpart Aleksander Kwasniewski are holding negotiations on board Russian Marshal Ustinov missile cruiser off Russian Baltic coast. The two leaders embarked on the ship in the town of Balltiisk (the Kaliningrad Region bordering on Poland) where the Polish leader arrived this morning by helicopter.

While opening the meeting, Vladimir Putin said the entire range of bilateral relations could be discussed with economic co-operation being in the focus. Although mutual turnover is growing, there is a deficit in the energy supplies turnover, the Russian President pointed out.

He thanked his Polish counterpart for supporting Russia's position on the transit of Russian citizens from Kaliningrad to the mainland. According to Putin, he favoured Kwasniewski's standpoint on free travels of Russian citizens to the European Union member-states.

"The world should develop its relations without bureaucracy," the Polish president said in turn.

Kwasniewski presented Putin copies of paintings by famous Russian (Italia-born) architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli, who erected, in the 18th century, the most beautiful buildings of St Petersburg, then the Russian capital.