HEAD OF RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY IGOR IVANOV FLIES TO KALININGRAD








MOSCOW, March 8 /RIA Novosti/ - Russian foreign minister Igor Ivanov has flown to Kaliningrad, from which he will go to Sweden for a working visit. 


	As diplomatic sources in Moscow say, the foreign minister will discuss with the leadership of the Kaliningrad Region the issues of the region's life support supplies in the context of the forthcoming expansion of the European Union. After the accession of Poland and Lithuania to it, the westernmost region of Russia will become an enclave fully surrounded by the EU member states. 


	Moscow is interested in resolving the issues linked with this problem before the EU actual expansion and this approach meets with understanding of the European partners. Thus, on January 17 this year the European Commission adopted a communique "The EU and the Kaliningrad Region" which covers, in particular, such issues as the improvement of the management of migration flows at the borders of Russia, Poland and Lithuania, the expediting of the issuance of visas, the opening of consulates of the EU member states in Kaliningrad, and also the issues of economics, the transport infrastructure and energy supplies. 


	Earlier the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed that "the way the problem of Kaliningrad will be resolved will become a test for partnership between the EU and Russia." As the Russian Foreign Ministry further noted, "our approach and enthusiasm in relation to the attainment of full-scale cooperation with the European Union will depend on this."  


	In the course of his trip to the Kaliningrad Region Igor Ivanov intends to visit the main base of the Baltic Fleet - the city of Baltiisk and meet with Russian sailors. 


	This evening the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry will fly to Stockholm. On Friday, at his scheduled meeting with the members of the EU trio, Igor Ivanov intends to discuss the issues of the European security, the status of the Kaliningrad Region in the context of the forthcoming EU expansion, and the situation in the Balkans, Iraq and the Middle East. 


	Apart from that, the Russian foreign minister will make preparations for the forthcoming meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the participants of the EU summit during Vladimir Putin's visit to Stockholm on March 23. (fed/vld)