Russia to boost economic ties with India, China

Moscow, Oct 29 (UNI) Amid the ongoing global financial crisis, Russia has decided to focus on its economic ties with India, China and the Central Asian countries, within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

The Kremlin's press service today said the Prime Ministers of Russia, China, and four Central Asian countries will meet on October 29-30 in Kazakhstan's capital, Astana, to discuss measures to overcome the world financial crisis.

The government on Monday adopted a foreign trade strategy for the period up to 2020 , shifting its focus on economic ties from the European countries to Asian countries, including India, China and the Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Iranand Afghanistan.

''The SCO Prime Ministers' meeting is expected to address social, economic and humanitarian cooperation among member-states, and ways to improve the organisation's activities following the results of the SCO summit in Dushanbe on August 28,'' it said.

''Special attention will be paid to SCO coordination activities amid the global financial crisis,'' it noted.

Russia-India trade and economic ties are expected to be highly boosted during the coming visit of President Dmitry Medvedev for his summit with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi, in early December.

In particular, key agreements are expected to be signed in the energy sectors, including the civil nuclear sphere.

UNI XC ARB AS1837