Bulgarian President to Pay a Visit to Moscow January 20-21

During his Moscow visit on January 20-21 President of Bulgaria Georgi Purvanov will discuss the state and prospects of development of bilateral relations, as well as forthcoming political contacts between the two states. This was disclosed in an interview to RIA Novosti by Bulgarian Ambassador to Russia Ilyan Vassilev.

According to him, at the talks with the Russian leadership the head of the Bulgarian state plans to touch upon the issues of struggle against terrorism, the strengthening of interaction and mutual understanding , cooperation and participation in the international life." The Ambassador emphasised that Georgy Purvanov is arriving in Moscow on the invitation of His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II. In the capital of Russia the Bulgarian leader will be presented with a prize "For outstanding activity to strengthen the unity of Orthodox peoples" for 2002 of the International Foundation for the Unity of Orthodox Peoples.

Speaking of the nature of Russian-Bulgarian relations Vassilev pointed out their invigoration of late.