The Indian Prime Minister Will Visit Moscow At The Beginning Of November This Year

Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will visit Moscow at the beginning of November this year, said Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov in Delhi on Friday. According to the Minister, the questions concerning the preparation of this visit were discussed during his negotiations with the head of the Indian government. At the present time, said Igor Ivanov, both sides are intensively preparing this visit. "We are interested in this visit to contribute to the development of our relations in all spheres," noted the Russian Foreign Minister. First of all, he said, this concerns trade and economic cooperation. During his Friday meeting with the Russian Foreign Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee pointed out that it was necessary to increase trade between Moscow and Delhi (last year it amounted to about 1.5 billion dollars). Igor Ivanov and Atal Bihari Vajpayee also discussed international problems. Moscow and Delhi proceed from the fact that the strategic partnership between Russia and India in the international arena meets the interests of international stability. Special attention was paid to cooperation of the sides in combatting terrorism, religious extremism and separatism. This problem exists both in Russia and in India, and in this case the assistance of the international community is necessary. The Russian Foreign Minister handed in to the Indian Prime Minister a message from Russian President Vladimir Putin in which he underscores the importance which Russia attaches to its relations with India and also the determination of the Russian leadership to fully carry out the accords that were achieved during the visit to India by Vladimir Putin in October last year.