Russian President to Visit FranceRussian President Vladimir Putin will fly to France Sunday to attend the Russian-EU summit and then pay an official visit to France, Putin's press secretary Alexei Gromov announced Thursday.This will be the first trip to France by Putin since he was elected Russia's head of state in March this year. Monday, Putin will attend the plenary session of the Russian-EU summit, Gromov said. After the meeting, Putin and French President Jacques Chirac will give a press conference, in which European Commission chief Romano Prodi and EU representative for foreign and defense policy Javier Solana will also participate. On Monday afternoon, Putin will negotiate with Koichiro Matsuura, director-general of UNESCO, before meeting with Donald Johnston, secretary general of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Putin is also scheduled to meet with Chirac on Monday afternoon. The Russian and French presidents are expected to speak with the press after their talks. On Monday evening, the French president and his wife will give an official dinner in honor of Putin and his wife, Lyudmila. On Tuesday, Putin is expected to meet with leading French businessmen and to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Paris. Putin will also meet on Tuesday with President of the French Senate Christian Poncelet, French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin and French National Assembly President Raymond Forni. On Tuesday evening, Putin will give Russian state awards to French cosmonauts. Putin also plans to meet with leading French political and public figures and to take part in other events, Gromov said. |
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