The New Nation - Internet Edition

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed holding a meeting
with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the sidelines
of the UN General Assembly session at the UN Headquarters in
New York on Tuesday. Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed
Chowdhury, among others,

BSS, New York

Russian Foreign Minister and head of Russian delegation to the UN General Assembly session, Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday said that Moscow was keen to expand cooperation with Dhaka in bilateral areas as well as in the international arena.

The Russian Foreign Minister stated this when he paid a call on Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed at the UN headquarters here on the sidelines of the ongoing UN General Assembly session.

He said that Russia supported the initiatives being taken by the present caretaker government in Bangladesh.

Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed thanked Foreign Minister Lavrov for the very warm reception accorded to Bangladesh Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury when he visited Russia recently.

Both the delegations stated that steps are now underway in both the countries on follow-up actions to the agreements reached during the visit

Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed said Bangladesh sees Russia as a "historic friend", and were eager to extend their cooperation in the areas of trade, development and politics.

They also discussed the possibilities of procurement of wheat and fertiliser by Bangladesh from Russia and also increase of imports of Bangladeshi products into the Russian market

Possible cooperation in the area of nuclear power was also discussed. It was agreed that the two countries would continue to work together for mutual benefits.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Cabinet Secretary Ali Imam Majumdar, Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser Syed Fahim Munaim and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN Ismat Jahan were present during the meeting on behalf of Bangladesh.