Merkel, Putin to have negotiations in St. Petersburg on Friday - Kremlin press service
MOSCOW. June 20 (Interfax) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel will pay a working visit to Russia on Friday at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin to take part in the 17th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
"The negotiations are expected to address a broad range of bilateral and international issues, including interaction in the G20 and the implementation of the agreements reached during Vladimir Putin's working visit to Germany on April 7-8, 2013," the press service said in a report obtained by Interfax on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Presidential Assistant Yuri Ushakov told reporters that the sides would discuss the economy and bilateral relations.
"Our president will touch upon [in his speech] pressing global economic problems, Russia's G20 chairmanship and efforts of the national administration to spur on the country's economic growth and to improve the business and investment climate," he said.
"After that Putin and Merkel will hold bilateral negotiations. They have an ample agenda: topical issues of bilateral cooperation in various areas, priorities of the G20 Russian chairmanship and a number of international subjects, among them Syria," Ushakov said.
He noted that the president and the chancellor did not hold a separate meeting at the G8 Lough Erne summit because of the plans to have a detailed conversation in St. Petersburg.
Putin and Merkel will also meet with Russian and German businessmen and will take part in the opening ceremony of the Bronze Age exhibition, Europe without Borders, in the Hermitage.
