Russian FM Sergey Lavrov to visit Athens on Oct. 29-30

Russian FM Sergey Lavrov to visit Athens on Oct. 29-30

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will make a working visit to Greece on October 29 and 30, Moscow has announced.

“The purpose of the visit is to continue our political dialogue with the Greek authorities on a broad range of bilateral and international issues,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Lavrov will meet President Karolos Papoulias, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos during his two-day stay.

According to Moscow, Greece’s upcoming EU presidency in the first half of 2014, the situation in Syria and Egypt, Iran’s nuclear program, and the state of affairs in the Balkan region will be on the agenda for talks in Athens.

The Russian Foreign Ministry also made reference to growing trade between the two countries and to an increase in the number of tourists from Russia visiting Greece, with arrivals expected to surpass 1 million this year.