Russian President Dmitry Medvedev Wednesday begins a three-day Mediterranean tour during which he will seek to forge closer economic and political ties with Algeria and European Union member Cyprus.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev Wednesday begins a three-day
Mediterranean tour during which he will seek to forge closer economic and
political ties with
Algeria
and
European Union member
Cyprus
.
Wednesday,
Algeria
will
welcome the Kremlin chief with a 21-gun salute--the highest honor for a foreign
dignitary--as Medvedev will arrive in
Algiers
for
energy and arms talks with President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and other top
officials.
Russia
's
ties to the North African energy giant date back to the Soviet era when
Moscow
was
the main supplier of arms to the nation.
The two countries are also part of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, a loose
grouping of major gas-producing countries that some call the gas equivalent of
the Organization of 0Petroleum Exporting Countries.
"
Algeria
is
one of our largest partners with whom we are connected by very deep and rich
history," Medvedev's top foreign policy aide Sergei Prikhodko said, adding
the leaders will discuss political and energy cooperation.
"A discussion on how to further deepen political dialogue is expected to
become an important part of the upcoming talks," Prikhodko told reporters.
"The sides attach special significance to the prospects of developing
closer co-operation in the energy sphere, including on the global gas market
within the Gas Exporting Countries Forum."
Prikhodko said that taking into account Algeria's massive gas reserves it was
important for OAO Gazprom (GAZP.RS), the world's largest gas producer, and
Algeria's state-owned oil and gas company Sonatrach to co-operate including on
European markets.
Gazprom chief executive Alexei Miller was to accompany the Kremlin chief to the
country.
In 2006, Gazprom and Sonatrach signed a co-operation agreement but ties have
remained modest so far.
Last year, Gazprom received a 49% stake in a project to prospect for oil in the
Berkine basin in
Algeria
and
started drilling there earlier this year.
The two countries' delegations, which will include head of aircraft maker Irkut
Oleg Demchenko, will discuss arms co-operation although no new deals were
expected to be signed this time, Prikhodko said.
Military ties have in recent years been clouded by
Algeria
's
complaints over the Russian-made arms' poor quality, a suggestion Prikhodko
said was largely "justified."
During a trip by Medvedev's predecessor at the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin to
Algiers
in
2006
Russia
wrote
off
Algeria
's
Soviet-era debt in exchange for arms purchases.
Medvedev was set to oversee the signing of several agreements including on
co-operation in the sphere of maritime transport.
From Algeria Medvedev will head to
Cyprus
for a
two-day visit, a first by any Russian president.
The visit at the invitation of
Cyprus
President Demetris Christofias--himself a Russian speaker--is seen as a
"landmark" event in relations both economically and politically.
The two leaders will oversee the signing of a double taxation avoidance
agreement and address a business forum in the capital
Nicosia
,
Cypriot officials said.
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