Lithuanian Foreign Minister To Discuss Cooperation With Kaliningrad Region During Visit To Russia

Antanas Valionis, foreign minister of Lithuania, who is also the chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, will pay a business visit to Russia on January 15-16. A representative of the Lithuanian Embassy in Moscow told RBC that during the visit, it is planned to discuss questions of bilateral relations, as well as aspects of the economic cooperation between Lithuania and Kaliningrad Region of Russia. Valionis will inform Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov about the agenda of the meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe devoted to regional cooperation and its effect on democratic reforms, which will be held in Vilnius on May 2-3, 2002. The Lithuanian foreign minister will also meet with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Khristenko, Government Minister Vladimir Yelagin, Russian Human Rights Commissioner Oleg Mironov, Duma International Affairs Committee Chairman Dmitry Rogozin, and Press Minister Mikhail Lesin. During these meetings, it is planned to discuss the dynamics of democratic reforms in Russia, the legal reform, the problem of human rights observation in Russia, the situation in Chechnya, the fight against terrorism by the international coalition, and the work of the Council of Europe.