Russian Agriculture Minister to pay official visit to Finland

Russian Deputy Prime Minister, Agriculture Minister Alexei Gordeyev isbeginning a visit to Finland today. Gordeyev was invited to Finland by theFinnish minister of agriculture and the timber industry. Radio Rossii(Radio of Russia) reported that during the visit, Gordeyev planned to holdtalks with Finnish Prime Minister Paavo Lipponen, as well as with theminister of trade and industry. During the two-day visit, the Russian deputy prime minister will review themethods of production used by Finnish farmers and assess the development ofcooperation between farmers in the frontier areas of the two countries. Hewill also visit Finnish companies that actively operate on the Russianagricultural and food markets. At the same time Gordeyev intends to informhis Finnish colleagues and the government of Finland about the prospectsfor the development of the agriculture in Russia and Russian-Finnishcooperation in the agrarian sector in connection with the recent adoptionof the new land law in Russia..