Indian Prime Minister Arrives In Russia On A State Visit

Prime Minster Atal Bihari Vajpayee of India arrives in Russia on a state visit. The first city he will visit in Russia is St. Petersburg. As the Indian embassy in Moscow reported, Atal Bihari Vajpayee will discuss with the Russian leadership the whole complex of bilateral cooperation, as well as regional and international problems. It is expected that the sides will sign bilateral documents called upon to contribute to the further strengthening of the political and legal basis of bilateral cooperation. As was pointed out by the Indian embassy, the relations between Moscow and Delhi are characterised by "consistency, trust and mutual understanding." The mutual cooperation includes political consultations, trade and economic cooperation, primarily in such spheres as power, metallurgy, oil and coal industries, information technologies, as well as military, technological, cultural and scientific cooperation. As the Russian embassy in Delhi reported, the negotiations are expected to be resulted in signing the Declaration on Combating Terrorism and two joint statements - on bilateral relations and global problems of the world policy, as well as on strategic stability. A number of other documents in different spheres of cooperation have been also prepared for signing - a memorandum between the Russian Emergencies Ministry and the Indian Ministry of Science and Technology on the development of cooperation in preventing and abolishing emergency situations, a memorandum on the construction of a nuclear power plant in Kudankulam, a memorandum on mutual understanding between the Russian Ministry of Communications and Information Science and the Indian Ministry of Communications on cooperation in the sphere of telecommunications. It is also supposed to sign an agreement between the Indian Eximbank and the Russian Vneshekonombank on opening a USD 10-million credit line of Russia. It is also expected that the Confederation of Indian Industry and the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs will sign an agreement on opening an office in Moscow. In accordance with the visit's programme, on Sunday the Indian Prime Minister will visit the Russian Museum, the Hermitage and will meet with representatives of the public and the scientific quarters of St. Petersburg. On Monday, Atal Bihari Vajpayee will leave for Moscow.