Russia, Singapore to sign joint statement on cooperation

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13/11 Tass 150

MOSCOW, November 13 (Itar-Tass) - A joint Russian-Singaporean
statement on cooperation prospects will be the resulting document of the
first in the history of bilateral relations official visit by a Russian
president to Singapore.
President Dmitry Medvedev heads for Singapore on Friday, his aide
Sergei Prikhodko said. "On the results of the visit, the sides will
approve a joint Russian-Singaporean statement, reflecting a common view of
the current state of bilateral cooperation and its prospects," he added.
According to Prikhodko, the document will reflect issues that the
leaders will discuss at talks. "They will touch upon the whole range of
issues concerning the development of bilateral partnership, in particular,
the updating of the contractual legal framework of relations, trade and
economic cooperation, implementation of joint innovation and investment
projects within the context of international efforts to overcome the
global financial and economic crisis," he said.
Last year trade between Russia and Singapore amounted to 1.6 billion
dollars, while in January-August 2009 it made up 1.13 billion dollars,
which is a 62.2-percent growth as compared with the same period last year.
Prikhodko also noted that within the framework of the international
agenda, the sides "plan to exchange opinions on the general situation in
the Asian-Pacific region, a further build-up of a partnership dialogue
between Russia and ASEAN, the role of the APEC Forum in regional affairs,
as well as a growing influence of new formats: East Asian summits and the
Asia-Europe forum".
The situation on the Korean peninsula and Iran's nuclear programme,
the Middle East settlement as well as the situation in Afghanistan and
Iraq will also be discussed.
During his visit, President Medvedev will hold talks with his
Singaporean counterpart Sellapan Rama Nathan, Prime Minister Lee Hsien
Loong, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew and Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.
Besides, the two-day program of the official agenda envisages a
separate meeting of the Russian president with leaders of major Russian
and Singaporean companies. Russian participants include such companies as
Bank VTB, Gazprom, Bazovyi Element, the state corporation Rostekhnologii
and others.
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