Vladimir Putin, Georgi Purvanov to continue talks in Sochi today

Russian President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation and his Bulgarian counterpart Georgi Purvanov will continue negotiating in Sochi today.

Purvanov arrived in this Russian resort on September 5, what with informal Russian-Bulgarian talks getting underway that same day. We'll talk in an informal setting September 5, discussing the entire range of bilateral interaction September 6, Putin said, as he received the Bulgarian President at his Sochi residence.

The Russian leader noted much more active contacts and expanded relations between Moscow and Sofia over the last 12-18 months. In Putin's words, he intends to meet some Russian businessmen, who are operating rather actively in Bulgaria, September 6. We'll continue this conversation, Putin added.

According to RIA-Novosti's Kremlin sources, the September 6 talks will deal with issues of bilateral trade-and-economic cooperation, fuel-and-energy cooperation, in the first place.

For his own part, deputy presidential-administration chief Sergei Prikhodko noted that both leaders will discuss military-technical cooperation, as well.

Putin and Purvanov will also examine international issues, i.e. the Balkan situation, as well as bilateral relations in the context of Bulgaria's forthcoming admission into the European Union.