India president to make state visit to Russia.

NEW DELHI, September 2 (Itar-Tass) - Indian President Pratibha Patil
begins a state visit to Russia on Wednesday, confident that relations
between the two countries will continue to strengthen and develop.

In an interview with Itar-Tass head of her trip, she noted that
"relations between India and Russia are noted for "succession, mutual
trust and reliability," and are an example of friendly interaction and
mutually beneficial cooperation.
The Indian Foreign Ministry announced that Pratibha Patil's sojourn in
Moscow envisions meetings and talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
The heads of the two states will attend a gala concert which will take
place on the new stage of the Bolshoi Theatre and is expected to become of
the most vivid events of the on-going Year of India cultural festival in
Russia.
The program of her trip includes a visit to St.Petersburg. The Indian
president will go on a sightseeing tour of Russia's second largest city
and see a school where Hindu is taught.
Pratibha Patil, who is visiting Russia for the first time, said she is
looking forward to meeting with the Russian leaders. In her opinion,
"close friendship and special relations between the two states will grow
in strength even more".
She also noted that "India experiences a firm feeling of emotional
attachment to Russia".
"Just mention the name of Russia in our country, and people will
immediately recall the feeling of friendship and respect," the head of
state said. "We in India value Russia as our reliable friend that passed
the test of time. We also regard Russia as a very important country,
playing an active role as a major power whose opinion on problems,
provoking global concern, attracts universal attention."
India's foreign secretary Nirupama Rao, in comments on the upcoming
visit, said Russian-Indian relations are the partnership based on mutual
trust, friendship and comprehensive cooperation.
Broad-scale cooperation in strategic fields, such as defense, nuclear
power generation and aerospace, forms a reliable foundation of bilateral
ties, she noted.
The Indian delegation includes Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas
Murli Deora, State Minister for Textiles Panabaka Lakshmi and influential
parliamentarians and business people.
The Indian president's visit will end on September 6.
Last December, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev made an official
visit to New Delhi. A package of agreements was signed in the presence of
the leaders of t he two countries, which showed the parties' intention to
cooperate in all fields.
In particular, the procurement department of the Indian defense
Ministry signed a contract with Russia's Rosoboronexport state-run weapons
trading company to supply 80 Mi-17B-5 helicopters to India.
According to an intergovernmental agreement, Russia will take part in
the construction of another four reactors at India's Kudankulam nuclear
power plant, as well as in the construction of NPPs of Russian design
elsewhere in India.
Russia and India also signed a memorandum of mutual understanding on
joint works in the field of manned programs. An agreement was reached that
the first Indian astronaut would fly into space on a Russian Soyuz in 2013.
The space flight of the first Indian astronaut should be followed by
India's launching its own spacecraft after 2015. In the course of his
visit, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev attended the ceremony of closing
the Year of Russia cultural festival in India.


.Moscow to donate books to South Ossetian libraries.

MOSCOW, September 2 (Itar-Tass) - Moscow is launching an action on
Wednesday to donate books for South Ossetian libraries, devastated during
the Georgian invasion in August 2008.
The action starts at the all-Russia Exhibition Center at 12:00, Moscow
time, president of the MAMA international public association of charity
foundations Rais Agnatulov told Itar-Tass.
Books are to be collected within the scope of the 22nd international
book fair, and donations are welcome in Pavilion 75, stand E17E20 until
September 7.
The MAMA association which organized the charity action, hopes that
both ordinary citizens and publishing houses will make their contributions.
"During the Georgian attack on South Ossetia in August 2008, the
historical and cultural monuments sustained major damage," Agnatulov
reminded.
"The central library in Tskhinval with one million copies of books was
destroyed. At present, Russia's agency for special construction
(Spetsstroi) is completing its rebuilding. The library is due to open on
October 1.
The organizers said the international humanitarian action to donate
books for South Ossetia involves all Russian regions and more than 50
countries of the world.