Russian, Chilean leaders to negotiate in Moscow today

President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation is to meet President Ricardo Lagos Escobar of Chile, who arrived on an official visit in Moscow October 2nd, in the Kremlin today.

According to the presidential administration, both men will focus on diversified trade-and-economic ties.

The Russian-Chilean trade turnover stood at about $36 million over the January-June 2002 period, totalling $50.4 million last year. Russian experts believe this doesn't match the potential of our two countries.

The Kremlin thinks that the aerospace sphere, the mining industry, oil production, the oil-refining sector, transportation and the fishing sector boast substantial reserves for mutually-advantageous cooperation. The Chilean business community is becoming more interested in Russia; among other things, this is proved by the fact that a massive business delegation has arrived in Moscow together with the Chilean leader.

Russia displays substantial interest in the Chilean economic-reform experience and social-sector transformations, RIA Novosti's interlocutors noted.

The Kremlin notes purposeful efforts to streamline and upgrade the relevant contractual-legal base of bilateral relations. The sides are now getting ready to sign a number of inter-governmental and inter-departmental documents. Some of them might well be inked during the Chilean President's current Moscow visit.

Multi-faceted cooperation with Chile is an important aspect of Russia's foreign policy in the Latin American region, RIA Novosti's sources stressed.

The Kremlin hails the present-day level of bilateral political contacts, as well as the constructive nature of Russian-Chilean interaction on the international scene. Both Russia and Chile voice similar or coinciding positions on many international and regional issues, thus creating a foundation for more active bilateral cooperation within the framework of international forums, the UN, first and foremost.

The Kremlin emphasized our common position to the effect that international terrorism, separatism and religious extremism seriously threatened security.

The Kremlin views expanded dialogue with regional inter-state associations as an important avenue for enhancing Russian - Latin American cooperation. Moscow hopes to enhance its cooperation with Chile, which is a member of the three-country Rio group.

Russia also intends to expand its cooperation with Chile within the APEC framework, Kremlin people stressed.

Moreover, Russia advocates expanded multi-farious bilateral cooperation in the Antarctic on the basis of the February 14th, 1995 inter-governmental agreement.