Question: Portugal's Minister of State and for Foreign Affairs, Luis Amado, is slated to visit Moscow next week. How do you assess the significance of the visit?

Answer: The Minister of State and for Foreign Affairs of Portugal, Luis Amado, is paying a working visit to the Russian Federation on April 14 at the invitation of Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov. Bilateral talks will be held in Moscow, followed by a joint press conference.

The visit by the Minister of State and for Foreign Affairs will be another important link in Russian-Portuguese top-level and high-level political contacts that have been regularly maintained between the two states in recent years.

Question: What is the agenda for the upcoming Russian-Portuguese talks?

Answer: The sides will discuss the current state of, and further prospects for bilateral cooperation, and key aspects of interaction between Russia and Portugal on pressing international problems. An exchange of views is planned on how to keep up the dynamics of the expansion of economic ties achieved in recent years in light of the current world financial and economic crisis. The ministers will discuss in this context the role of the upcoming fourth session of the Russia-Portugal Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Economic, Industrial and Technical Cooperation, which is due to be held in Moscow in June.

Question: To what international and regional problems will special attention be paid during the upcoming Russian-Portuguese talks?

Answer: In discussing the international agenda, questions pertaining to a new European architecture in the light of the initiative put forward by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev for a European Security Treaty will be the focus of attention, along with the situation in the world financial sphere in the context of the outcomes of the G20 meeting in London. In addition, it is planned to discuss topical issues in Russia-EU and Russia-NATO relations.

The sides intend to exchange views on topical regional problems, in particular, the Middle East peace process, the situation in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and other questions of mutual concern.

April 10, 2009