Date of UN Secretary General's Visit to Russia to Be Specified Additionally

In view of the fact that the timeframe of UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's European tour is at stage of coordination now, the date of his visit to Russia will be specified additionally, the Russian President's press service RIA Novosti.

Earlier, on Tuesday, the press service reported that Vladimir Putin had invited UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to pay a routine visit to St. Petersburg on April 12, 2003. The Russian President and the UN Secretary General will meet there to discuss cooperation between Russia and the United Nations in the international affairs.

The press service also said that French President Jacques Chirac will also pay a routine visit to St. Petersburg on April 11-12 at the invitation of Vladimir Putin. As has already been reported earlier, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder will also visit the city on the Neva in that same period.

However, the office of the official spokesman for the UN Secretary General, Fred Eckhard, in New York told RIA Novosti that before visiting Russia Kofi Annan will go to Great Britain, France and Germany. The European tour of the UN Secretary General starts on April 9.

Kofi Annan will meet with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. The UN press service pointed out that the negotiations in the European capitals will focus Iraq, in particular on the UN role in post-war Iraq.