Mexican foreign secretary to discuss trade relations with Russia

Mexican Foreign Secretary Patricia Espinosa will visit Russia on June 25-29 to discuss trade and economic cooperation, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported. "The visit will take place on an invitation from Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and is aimed at further promotion of the Russian-Mexican constructive political dialogue," ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said. Lukashevich said bilateral trade totaled $768.5 million in 2010. "Priority tasks are to increase and diversify trade turnover, stimulate mutual investment growth and give an impetus to cooperation in power industry, agriculture, metallurgy and mechanical engineering," he said. The visit will see the signing of a joint statement by the foreign ministers, a scientific and technological cooperation program for 2011-2012 and a memorandum of understanding on interaction in sports. Espinosa will also meet with Economic Development Minister Elvira Nabiullina in Moscow and St. Petersburg governor Valentina Matviyenko in the northwestern Russian city.