.Russian Prime Minister to make working visit to Bulgaria.

SOFIA, November 13 (Itar-Tass) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin
is expected to make a working visit to Bulgaria Saturday.
During a few hours of stay in this country he will have talks with the
Bulgarian President, Georgy Parvanov, and Prime Minister Boiko Borisov.
The sides will sign an agreement regulating the issues related to the
setting up and operations of a joint-venture company, South Stream
Bulgaria AD, which will supervise construction of the Bulgarian section of
the South Stream gas pipeline.
"The main issue at the forthcoming talks is the construction of the
South Stream pipeline but we are also ready to discuss the Belene nuclear
power plant project," Borisov said on the eve of Putin's visit.
He added that the eventual cost of the project is the central element
of the Belene problem.
Foreign Minister Nikolai Mladenov, who made public the agenda of Putin'
s working visit, said the signing of the agreement by the Bulgarian Energy
Holding Company and the Russian natural gas giant Gazprom on setting up a
joint-venture that will be trusted with building the Bulgarian section of
the South Stream will be one of the major objectives at these talks.
"That's an exceptionally important decision, which is part of Bulgaria'
s overall development strategy, as it will ensure the security of gas
supplies," Mladenov said.
"Still, relations between Bulgaria and Russia can't be confined solely
to the problems of the energy sector," he said. "A matter of especial
interest for us is the inclusion of Bulgarian companies in Russian
projects and their access to the Russian market."
"We're considering these things very seriously because it's important
for us to ensure a pragmatic development of these relations - something
that the two countries will stand to gain from, as this form of
cooperation makes it possible to promote joint projects.
The Bulgarian government's press service said this country's
delegation at the talks with Putin will include Interior Minister Tsvetan
Tsvetanov, Finance Minister Simeon Dyankov, Economics, Energy and Tourism
Minister Trajcho Trajkov, Environment and Water Resources Minister Nona
Karadzhova, and the Executive Director of the Bulgarian Energy Holding
Company, Maya Khristova.
-0-kle