Russian MFA Spokesman Andrei Nesterenko Interview to RIA Novosti on the Upcoming Visit to Moscow by Miguel Angel Moratinos, Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs

Question: Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos of Spain is visiting Moscow tomorrow. How do you assess the present nature of the Spanish political dialogue?

Answer: Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Miguel Angel Moratinos, will pay a working visit to Russia at the invitation of Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov.

Ministerial talks will be another link in the dynamically evolving bilateral summit and high-level political dialogue between Moscow and Madrid. This is the fifth visit of the head of the Spanish foreign affairs agency to our country in his current capacity – he first visited Moscow as Minister in July 2004, shortly after his appointment to this post.

The program of Moratinos's visit to Russia also provides for his meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov.

Question: What is the agenda for the upcoming talks between the Russian and Spanish Foreign Ministers? And what will be given priority?

Answer: The focus of the talks between Lavrov and Moratinos will be on preparation for the 2010 visit to Russia by the President of the Government of Spain, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

The ministers will also exchange views on various aspects of reinvigorating cooperation, bilaterally as well as within the UN and other international organizations. In addition to the intense political contacts, the cooperation in looking for answers to new threats and challenges, the expanding cultural ties, and the holding of the Year of Russia in Spain and the Year of Spain in Russia in 2011, more attention is expected to be paid to the prospects of restoring the pre-crisis level of trade and economic exchanges.

In the first half of 2010 Spain will preside over the EU. In this regard, strengthening of interaction between Russia and the European Union will be one of the central themes of the talks. In this context, the ministers are planning to discuss preparations for an upcoming Russia-EU summit. Special attention will be given to specific measures to advance in areas that most significantly affect the daily lives of our citizens. In particular, establishing a visa-free regime for mutual trips of citizens of Russia and the EU states will be touched upon.

Another important issue in the talks will be continued discussion of the initiative of President Dmitry Medvedev to conclude a European Security Treaty, which evokes sincere interest in Madrid.

Issues relating to the situation in the Middle East, Afghanistan and the Balkans will also be discussed.

We are confident that the Spanish Foreign Minister's upcoming visit to Moscow will provide additional impetus to the onward development of Russian-Spanish relations in various fields.