U.S., Russian Presidents to Meet in Slovenia Next MonthU.S. President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet in Slovenia at the end of Bush's first European trip in mid-June, Secretary of State Colin Powell announced in Washington Friday.Powell said he and Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov just had a meeting with Bush in the Oval Office. "I might take this opportunity to announce, however, that we have agreement that the two presidents will get together next month, either on the afternoon of the 16th or the morning of the 17th of June," Powell said. "We are working that out now, and it will be in Slovenia, at the capital, Ljubljana. The presidents are looking forward to their meeting," Powell told reporters. "I'm sure it'll be a very, very productive meeting between these two leaders who have a very full agenda that they will pursue on that occasion." Ljubljana is Bush's last stop on a five-nation trip that also includes a visit to Spain, meeting with NATO leaders in Belgium, with leaders of the European Union members in Sweden and talks in Poland. On his part, Ivanov said that "I've conveyed to President Bush a personal letter from President Putin, and this letter expresses a readiness and desire of the leaders of the Russian Federation to pursue and continue a constructive dialogue with the United States. " "The president of the United States has stressed that he is prepared to continue cooperation and dialogue with the Russian Federation, and together we are prepared to lay a foundation for a more secure future for the entire world," he said. |
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