BOCHAROV RUCHEI (SOCHI), August 14 (RIA Novosti) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev proposed a discussion of bilateral economic ties with German Chancellor Angela Merkel as they prepared to begin talks in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on Friday.
In opening remarks at his official Black Sea residence, Medvedev praised Germany's moves to tackle the global economic slump. The country's state statistics body said on Thursday that German GDP grew 0.3% in the second quarter on the first quarter against a forecast decline of 0.2%.
Medvedev told Merkel that Russia was also working to improve its economic performance.
"I believe we should think about how we could help both our economies and our people overcome the consequences of the severe global crisis and emerge strong and prepared from it by strengthening bilateral strategic, economic ties," he said.
The leaders' informal summit in the host city for the 2014 Winter Olympics is their third meeting this year, and follows on from their July 16 meeting in Munich. Germany is Russia's biggest European trading partner, and mutual trade hit a record $67.2 billion in 2008 before slumping after the onset of the global economic crisis.
Medvedev and Merkel are likely to discuss Canadian automaker Magna's bid, backed by Russia's Sberbank, to purchase a stake in Opel, the European unit of General Motors.
Another key point at the talks is certain to be their ambitious Nord Stream natural gas project.
The $6 billion-euro pipeline the two are building under the Baltic Sea is designed to eventually pump 55 billion cu m of Siberian gas per year to Western Europe, bypassing traditional transit nations. The project has triggered environmental concerns and fears of a growing energy reliance on Russia in some EU nations.
Merkel will also raise recent murders of human rights activists in Russia and press freedom concerns.
Medvedev also suggested discussing regional and international issues and "taking a stroll, talking about life in general."
Merkel said they would discuss "international issues and preparations for international events, including the G20 summit."
