France - second leg of Putin's European tour

Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet his French counterpart Jacques Chirac to discuss Russo-French relations, the situation in Iraq and the Middle East settlement, said Deputy Chief of the Kremlin Administration Sergei Prikhodko. He added that Putin's upcoming November 7 working visit to Paris would be made on the initiative of the Russian side and become the third meeting between Vladimir Putin and Jacques Chirac in 2003.

Prikhodko continued that the forthcoming talks would include an exchange of opinions on the pressing issues of bilateral co-operation, above all in the trade and economic sector. In particular, the sides will consider the results of the 9th session of the Russo-French commission for bilateral co-operation at the prime ministerial level, that was held on October 6, 2003.