Strategic partnership and cooperation in the economic field as well as United Nations Security Council would be high on the agenda during meetings between senior leaders of Russia and South Africa over the next three days, The Press Trust of India reported. Senior ministers and officials of the two countries will discuss various issues aimed at expanding the strategic partnership between the two nations during talks between South African Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov. The Russian Federation is a member of the Group of 8 (G-8) and the UNSC. South Africa is also a member of the UNSC, currently serving as its rotational president in March. Mlambo-Ngcuka and Fradkov would discuss the status of bilateral political and economic relations between South Africa and Russia, including efforts to promote economic relations through the Inter-governmental Trade and Economic Committee (ITEC), Ronnie Mamoepa, spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs said. "They are also expected to discuss multilateral cooperation with particular emphasis on the cooperation of both countries in the UNSC," he said. "The non-proliferation and peaceful use of nuclear energy regarding the situation in Iran will also be discussed. Other issues include the promotion of the African agenda, developments in the Southern African Development Community, conflict resolution and peacekeeping in Sudan and the Ivory Coast as well as the post-election progress in the Democratic Republic of Congo," he said.
