DANISH FOREIGN MINISTER TO VISIT RUSSIA








MOSCOW, March 6, 2001. /RIA Novosti correspondent/--On March 12 Danish Foreign Minister Niels Helveg Petersen will arrive in Russia on a two-day visit.


	Press attache of the Danish embassy in Moscow Christian Dons has reported that the Danish Foreign Minister's negotiations with his Russian counterpart Igor Ivanov have been scheduled for March 13.


	The ministers are expected to discuss the whole range of bilateral issues which include the extension of mutual trade, the deepening of economic and, first of all, investment cooperation.


	The Russian side has repeatedly noted the necessity to step up work on draft agreements on combating organised crime, illegal financial operations and on cooperation in emergency situations.


	According to Russian diplomats, the negotiating sides will not fail to discuss the development of Denmark's contacts with north-western regions of the Russian Federation, including the Kaliningrad Region (a Russian enclave between Lithuania and Poland.) The sides will likely touch upon the problem of strategic stability and security. It's an open secret that Russia is against the US including a radar station on the Danish island of Greenland in its NMD plans. Moscow believes that if Denmark gives its consent to it, it will risk getting involved in a process which may upset strategic stability.


	On the whole, people in Moscow aim at comprehensive expansion of mutually advantageous Russo-Danish cooperation.