Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari Wednesday embarked on a three-day state visit to Russia at the invitation of his counterpart Dmitry Medvedev for talks on bilateral, regional and international issues, officials said, Xinhua reported.
This is Zardari's first state visit to Russia, accompanied by a high-level delegation. During the visit, Zardari will have in- depth discussions with the Russian leadership on a range of bilateral issues and review important global issues of mutual interest.
The two sides will also emphasize the importance they attach to cooperating closely on issues of stability, peace and security in the region and to continue to enhance bilateral contacts, consultations, cooperation and coordination between the two countries in this regard.
Zardari will address the Russian business community at the Skolkovo Moscow School of Management soon after his arrival on May 11. The presidents of Pakistan and Russia will have a one-on-one meeting before addressing a joint press conference on May 12 in Kremlin.
It would be followed by delegation-level talks between the two countries. Zardari will also hold talks with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
Officials said the president will visit Saint Petersburg on May 13, which is not only second largest city of Russia, but also the financial and industrial hub of the country and will address a business forum.
Zardari will lay a wreath at the tomb of unknown soldiers in the Alexander Garden Moscow to pay homage to them for defending their motherland in the second World War.
Official sources said that both the countries would sign four MOUs in energy cooperation, cooperation in investment between the Board of Investment and the National Investment Agency of Russia, cooperation in agriculture sector and a draft MOU on air services.
Earlier in June 2010, the president visited Russia and participated in a summit of the six-member Shanghai Cooperation Organization comprising China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and in August he attended a quadrilateral summit of Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Afghanistan in the southern Russian city of Sochi.