ID :
195739
Tue, 07/19/2011 - 09:19
Auther :

Russian-German interstate consultations due in Hanover

HANOVER (Germany), July 19 (Itar-Tass) - A wide range of issues
relating to domestic policy and international issues will be discussed at
Russian-German interstate consultations in Hanover on Tuesday with
participation of visiting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and German
Chancellor Angela Merkel, a German government source reports.
Nine members of the German Cabinet of Ministers, including the foreign
minister, the minister of economic affairs and the finance minister will
take part in talks from the German side.
The government source said "a dozen of German-Russian agreements will
be signed" at the consultations. According to the source, these will be
economic agreements, environmental protection agreements, as well as
agreements concerning inter-ministerial contacts.
Particular attention will be paid to domestic policy issues, he
continued, mentioning the upcoming elections to the Russian State Duma
lower house of parliament and the presidential election.
The holding of the Russia-Germany cross-cultural years in 2012-2013
will be also in the focus of attention.
Saying that a meeting of the Forum of Russian and German Civil
Societies "St. Petersburg Dialogue" will be held on the sidelines of the
consultations, the source said that Angela Merkel considers this
organisation important, "contributing to the development of a dialogue
between the civil societies".
The long-term aim is "to separate a dialogue of the civil societies
from government agencies so that it could stand on its own legs," the
source said.
The implementation of the Partnership for Modernisation program will
be also considered, as it is of mutual interest. It is also expected that
President Dmitry Medvedev, for his part, will speak about Russia's
economic development. Russia's prospects to join the World Trade
Organisations are not likely to be discussed at consultations, the German
side believes.
As for international problems, the sides are expected to discuss the
situation in North Africa, Syria, Middle East and Iran taking into account
its nuclear program and possible new sanctions to "encourage Tehran to a
diplomatic settlement of that problem," the source said.
On Tuesday, Dmitry Medvedev and Angela Merkel will meet with
participants in the 11th meeting of the Forum of Russian and German Civil
Societies "St. Petersburg Dialogue" and the Russian-German youth
parliament, who will report on the work done.
Following the Russian-German interstate consultations, Medvedev and
Merkel will sum up their results at a joint news conference.


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