Irish president visit to focus on efforts to strengthen contacts.

DUBLIN, September 7 (Itar-Tass) - To strengthen and deepen political,
economic, and cultural contacts between Ireland and Russia is the
principal purpose of the visit to Russia by Irish President Mary McAleese.
The visit begins on Tuesday and will continue until September 11. This is
the first visit by the Irish Head of State to the Russian Federation in
the history of bilateral relations.
The programme for the visit provides for functions in Moscow and St
Petersburg and envisages the Irish President's meetings with Russian
politicians, a speech at the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Foreign
Ministry on the theme of "Ireland and Russia in the 21st Century", and her
addresses at St Petersburg State University of Economics and Finance, and
at the Russo-Irish nanotechnology forum organized jointly by the ROSNANO
and the Science Foundation Ireland.