The two ministers will be discussing Norwegian-Russian cooperation, first of all in the northern regions, a press release from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reads. Other issues that will be discussed are cooperation within business and industry, climate and energy.
During his stay in Moscow, Minister Støre also plans to meet with representatives for Norwegian business in Russia, Russian scientists and representatives from Russian NGOs.
Støre and Lavrov have met on several occasions in course of the last years. Last time was during the Murmansk International Forum in October 2009.
Jonas Gahr Støre visited Moscow less than a year ago, in March 2009. At the press conference after the meeting, Mr. Lavrov expressed his intention to strengthen cooperation in the Euro-Arctic Barents Council:
- We see a gradual development of Russian-Norwegian relations, aimed at the implementation of joint projects. Both sides are tuned towards a further development of intensive political dialogue, a strengthening of the legal basis for the cooperation, an extension of trade and economic relations, enhanced interaction within the fields of energy, fisheries and ecology, BarentsObserver reported.
As BarentsObserver reported, Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev plans to visit Norway this spring.
After the meeting in Moscow, Foreign Minister Støre will travel to Kazakhstan to join His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon of Norway in the opening of Norway’s new embassy in Astana on February 5, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs writes.
