Talks between foreign ministers of Russia, the Netherlands in Moscow

The foreign ministers of Russia and Netherlands, Igor Ivanov and Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, will discuss the first results of Russia-NATO Council's activities at the forthcoming Moscow talks, official spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry Alexander Yakovenko told RIA Novosti.

According to the diplomat, the ministers will consider the life-support problems of the Kaliningrad region (Russia's enclave on the Baltic Sea) in connection with the forthcoming expansion of the European Union as part of preparations for Russia-EU summit in Copenhagen in November.

Moscow believes in good prospects for the progress of Russia-the Netherlands bilateral political cooperation in a wide range of international issues.

"Russia and the Netherlands coordinate counter-terrorist standpoints and maintain a permanent dialogue on rebuffing new threats and challenges," Yakovenko said.

In addition, he pointed to the productive discussion of strategic stability problems and a positive experience of efficient cooperation within international organisations, which is of particular importance in view of the Netherlands' possible chairmanship in the OSCE, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and the European Union.

The first routine visit to Moscow by Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, who was appointed foreign minister on July 22nd, following the May parliamentary elections in the Netherlands, "indicates the increased level, quality and intensity of Russian-Dutch cooperation", Yakovenko said. According to him, Russian-Dutch relations "are turning into profound partnership".