Russian Foreign Minister to meet George Bush

The first session of the Russian-American consultative group on the issues of strategic security will be held in Washington on September 20th, Russian foreign minister Igor Ivanov told journalists when he arrived in New York to take part in the 57th session of the UN General Assembly.

The minister pointed out that a wide range of questions connected with the fulfilment of the agreements reached during George Bush's Moscow visit will be discussed.

Ivanov said that the sides would consider the issues of strategic stability, the strategic arms reduction treaty as well as problems connected with the anti-missile defence and non-proliferation of mass destruction weapons.

Participants in the meeting of the heads of foreign policy and military departments of the two countries will also discuss questions connected with local conflicts. Igor Ivanov stressed that "they are local according to their character but as to their possible consequences they are global." The Russian foreign minister will meet US president George Bush on the same day.