RPT: PREVIEW - Putin to Take Part in Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, to Hold Number of Bilateral Talks

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th April, 2019) Russian President Vladimir Putin will take part on Friday and Saturday in the second Belt and Road international forum in Beijing.

The three-day forum, dedicated to China's initiative on trade and transport infrastructure development across Asia, Europe, Russia and the middle East, started on Thursday. It is expected to unite over 30 heads of stares and governments. Putin has noted ahead of his visit that the forum could bring impetus to integration processes in Eurasia.

During his visit to China, the Russian leader is expected to hold talks with many international leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, who will chair all the events of the forum and draw conclusions in his closing speech.

Putin and Xi are set to focus, during they Friday talks on the Russian-Chinese partnership in trade, the economy and humanitarian sphere, as well on their cooperation in the international arena. The two leaders are expected to exchange practical ideas for the Eurasian partnership, which could include the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the Eurasian Economic Community.

Also on Friday, Putin will meet with his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fattah Sisi, who currently chairs the African Union. Talks will focus on the development of the Russian-African ties, among other things.

During his Friday talks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Putin will touch upon bilateral issues and Kosovo conflict settlement.

Putin and his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, will discuss on Friday a range of matters, including bilateral cooperation.

Putin's schedule for his visit to Beijing also includes meetings with Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and Myanmar State Counselor and Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi. Remarkably, this will be the first meeting between Putin and Aung. The exact dates of these meetings have not been revealed yet.

The Russian president is also expected to conduct talks with his Belarussian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko, on Friday or Saturday, while there has not been any official confirmation.