ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER TO ARRIVE IN MOSCOW ON WORKING VISIT

MOSCOW, February 6 (RIA Novosti) - Italian Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini arrives in Moscow on a working visit. "Mr. Fini will arrive in Moscow on Sunday evening and will conduct a series of talks with Russian high-ranking officials on Monday," a diplomat from the Italian Embassy in Moscow told RIA Novosti.

He said that Mr. Fini is expected to meet with Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin.

"Mr. Kudrin and Mr. Fini are co-chairmen of the Russian-Italian Council on economic, financial and scientific cooperation. During the meeting, the sides will discuss various aspects of the organization's work," the Italian Embassy official explained.

Mr. Fini also plans, together with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov and Russian Culture Minister Alexander Sokolov, to participate in the opening of art exhibition "Russia-Italy. Through the Centuries. From Giotto to Malevich" at the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts.

The agenda also includes a round of talks between Mr. Fini and Mr. Lavrov. "The sides will discuss a number of bilateral issues and various global problems," the Italian diplomat said.