RUSSIAN MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS SERGEY LAVROV MEETS WITH CANADIAN FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER PIERRE PETTIGREW

Unofficial translation from Russian

PRESS RELEASE

On November 17 Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov met with Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew in Santiago on the fringes of the Ministerial Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum.

While discussing the bilateral agenda, the sides gave a positive assessment to the outcome of the working visit to Moscow of Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin on October 11-13, 2004, and discussed practical steps concerning the implementation of the agreements reached in the course of the Russian-Canadian summit talks in such areas as coordination in the fight against terrorism and cooperation in the North and the Arctic in view of Russia's upcoming Chairmanship of the Arctic Council.

The ministers also examined measures for further stepping up bilateral economic, commercial and investment ties.

In discussing pressing international problems, the focus was on the Middle East settlement process, the situation in Iraq, Afghanistan and on the Korean Peninsula, and the Iranian nuclear program.

November 18, 2004