Vladimir Putin gives high assessment to evian G-8 summit's organisation

During a meeting with his French counterpart Jacques Chirac, Russian President Vladimir Putin "gave a high assessment to the preparation and organisation of the G8 summit in Evian," RIA Novosti learned from deputy chief of the Kremlin administration Sergei Prikhodko.

The meeting in Evian became a good format both for multilateral programmes and numerous bilateral contacts, Putin pointed out.

"To develop the discussions of the G8 session, the presidents of Russia and France touched upon such issues as the Middle East situation, the North Korean problem, ways of further development of co-operation between Russia and the EU," Prikhodko said.

"As to bilateral issues, the parties touched upon co-operation in the air-space industry, participation of French companies in large energy projects in the territory of Russia, and co-operation in the educational sphere," he emphasised.

The conversation of the two presidents "lasted more than the scheduled time," Prikhodko added.