International relations: Russian and US senators to discuss arms reduction pact ratification

A Russian-U.S. inter-parliamentary group session will kick off in Washington on April 18-22. Its participants are going to discuss the ratification of a new strategic arms reduction treaty, which had been signed by the Presidents of two countries.

"We are planning to exchange opinions with our American colleagues on prospects for the ratification," said Mikhail Margelov, co-chairman of the group, Head of the International Affairs Committee of the Federation Council of Russia.

Mr Margelov said that the Russian delegation would include members of the Federation Council, experts, international scholars, and representatives of the business community of Russia.

On April, 19 within the framework of the session a presentation of the Buryat Republic will be launched at the Library of Congress. It will bring together Russian and American senators, the President of Buryatia - Vyacheslav Nagovitsyn, the Director General of the PLC “Special Economic Zones” Igor Kosov, the Director General of the Boris Yeltsin Presidential Library Alexander Vershinin, and the Ambassador of Russia to the USA Sergei Kislyak.

The function’s program will also include business meetings with the Board of Directors and members of the U.S.-Russia Business Council (USRBC), the Transatlantic-Russian Business Council on Buryatia and US Cooperation in humanitarian and economic sectors.