Visit of Russia's Foreign Miinister to Romania

On Monday Minister of Foreign Afffairs of Russia Igor Ivanov is leaving for Romania on a visit.

In Bucharest Igor Ivanov will meet with President of Romania Ion Iliescu and Prime Minister Adrian Nastase and hold talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs Mircea Geoana.

On the basis of the results of the talks with the head of the Romanian Foreign Ministry it is planned to initial the Treaty on Friendly Relations and Cooperation between the Russian Federation and Romania.

As spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia Alexander Yakovenko noted, the initialling of the Treaty will become "the final stage of the preparation of the document for signing at the summit level". It is expected that the Treaty will be signed by the heads of state in the course of the forthcoming visit of the President of Romania to Russia.

Expansion of trade-economic cooperation will become an important theme of Igor Ivanov's meetings in the Romanian capital. Moscow and Bucharest intend to jointly seek for possibilities to reduce disbalance in mutual trade, to raise the level of investment cooperation, and to broaden relations in the banking sphere.

In the course of the visit the Russian side intends also "to confirm its positions of principle in the questions of ensuring strategic stability and international security, and countering terrorism and extremism". The question of strengthening the role of the UN in international relations and enhancing the authority of the Security Council as the body bearing main responsibility for maintaining peace, stability and law will also be touched upon.

Igor Ivanov's visit to Romania will last till May 6. On Tuesday the Minister will fly to Italy where he plans to hold a number of meetings, too.