Vladimir Putin and George Bush to make joint statement on development of Russo-US energy dialogue

Vladimir Putin and George Bush are expected to make a joint statement on the development of the Russo-US energy dialogue on Friday, deputy presidential chief of staff Sergei Prikhodko told RIA Novosti. According to him, the near-future plans of Russia and the USA within the framework of the energy dialogue will be written down in this two-page document.

Prikhodko pointed out that the first Russian-US Energy Summit held in Houston on October 1-2 substantially helped in the preparation of this statement. "The hope appeared that the long-term plans of cooperation between the major private Russian oil companies and the western ones are becoming not only transparent but also attractive for the US firms," he said.

The deputy presidential chief of staff also pointed to the "great role" the USA plays in the positive consideration of the issue of striking off Russia from the FATF (Financial Action Task Force) black list.

During the negotiations, the presidents are expected to touch upon the issue of Russia joining the WTO.

When asked whether the Jackson-Vanik amendment will be discussed during the negotiations Prikhodko suggested that it would hardly happen.

But the Russian side will raise the question about the remaining restrictions for cooperation in hi-tech technologies.

One of the issues to be discussed will be collaboration in the sphere of outer space taking into account the experts' opinion that the USA attempts to limit the financing of joint programmes in this sphere.