Russian, Spanish foreign ministers set for talks in Moscow

The foreign ministers of Russia and Spain will discuss on Tuesday in Moscow preparations for the upcoming visit of the Spanish premier to Russia as well as bilateral relations, a spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos arrives in Moscow on Tuesday upon an invitation from his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.

"The talks between the ministers are another stage in the dynamically developing political dialogue between Moscow and Madrid at the highest levels," Andrei Nesterenko said.

Besides discussions on the planned visit of Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero to Russia, the high-ranking diplomats will also discuss Spain's presidency in the European Union after it took the rotating chair on January 1, Nesterenko said.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero agreed in a telephone conversation last week that Moscow and Madrid would continue mutually beneficial cooperation in 2010.

Medvedev last met the Spanish premier in September, on the sidelines of an international conference on global security in Yaroslavl, 250 km northeast of Moscow.

MOSCOW, January 12 (RIA Novosti)