Medvedev, Obama to discuss visas, ABM, WTO, Middle East

DOVILE, May 26 (Itar-Tass) -- The first in the current year meeting of
presidents of Russia and of the United States of America Dmitry Medvedev
and Barack Obama will be marked by adoption of a statement on
simplification of the visa regimen. The two leaders, who have come to
participate in the G8 summit, will also discuss vital international
problems - the Middle East, Northern Africa as well as the START and ABM.
Earlier, Russia's presidential aide, Sergei Prikhodko, who heads the
inter-ministerial group on implementation of a visa-free regimen between
Russia and the EU, said that a visa-free regimen between Russia and the
USA might be an important step in development of relations between the two
countries.
"In issues of possible lifting of visa requirements we use similar
approaches both to the EU countries and to the USA," he explained. "We
realise perfectly well all difficulties of solving this issue both in the
political and security aspect and in aspects of logistics."
According to information he has, the two presidents will adopt several
joint statements.
"The package of documents includes those on cooperation in fighting
terrorism, in the visa sphere, in cooperation in the Bering Strait," he
said. "Sergei Lavrov and Hilary Clinton prepare a joint report of the
Presidential Commission on projects, including those in high technologies
and innovations - from making regional intellectual electricity networks
between Belgorod and San Diego and implementation of clean energy to
training of new generation of managers."
Another joint statement, which France's president Nicolas Sarkozy is
expected to ink, too, is regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement.
"Other issues on the bilateral agenda include: cooperation in
transport security, international adoption, cultural exchange programmes,"
Prikhodko continued. "The agenda will include further diversification of
trade and economic cooperation, and a detailed discussion on the WTO to
speed up talks and formalities for Russia's membership in the organisation
before the year ends."
"We are satisfied that the Russian-American relations, which are
growing over the presidency of Barack Obama, develop smoothly and
positively," he said. "We have a very intensive, though sometimes,
complicated dialogue on key international problems, regional crises."
"Though sometimes our points of view differ, we see our counterparts
are ready to hear reasons and they take them with attention," he
continued. "The level of trust enables us to discuss even unpleasant
moments without the fear to threaten the positive dynamics of the
relations."
Last time, Medvedev and Obama met in November of 2010 in Yokohama on
the fields of the G20 summit. In June of 2010, Russia's president visited
the Silicon Valley and had talks with Obama in Washington.