Pakistan president to begin visit to RF Wed.

ISLAMABAD, May 11 (Itar-Tass) - Fight against terrorism and ways to
give greater scope to bilateral goods turnover will be the central
subjects of discussion during the upcoming visit to Russia by President
Asif Zardari of Pakistan. The visit begins on Wednesday and will come to a
close on May 14.
An official at the Pakistani Foreign Ministry has told Itar-Tass that
Zardari will meet with RF President Dmitry Medvedev to discuss the
problems of bilateral relations, as well as prospects for the peace
process in Afghanistan and the course of fight against extremism in the
region. Such subjects as the activities of the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization, and efforts to combat Afghan drug trafficking will be
touched upon separately.
The programme for the Pakistani leader's stay in Russia also provides
for a visit to the Moscow management school Skolkovo where he is expected
to deliver a lecture before students and faculty members. Zaradari is also
to visit St Petersburg where he will meet with Governor Valentina
Matviyenko and tour the city's landmarks.
On the eve of his visit to Russia, the President of Pakistan said in
an Itar-Tass interview that Russia and Pakistan still have an immense
potential for all-round development and expansion of cooperation. He said
he expects much from the forthcoming visit to Russia and hopes that the
development of relations between the two countries will be given a new
impetus during the visit.
Zardari also invited Russia to avail itself of access to the "southern
seas". The Pakistani Head of State recalled that way back in tsarist times
Russia had dreamed of getting an access to southern seas. Zardari said
Pakistan invites present-day Russia to avail itself of its present access
to the southern seas, which will undoubtedly be contributory to the
economic prosperity of the two countries.