Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, August 05, 2003
Putin Arrives for Two-day Visit to Malaysia
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Kuala Lumpur Monday afternoon for a two-day official visit to Malaysia, the first by a Russian head of state to the country.
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Kuala Lumpur Monday afternoon for a two-day official visit to Malaysia, the first by a Russian head of state to the country.
There were initial fears that Putin might again postpone his trip to Malaysia following Friday's deadly attack on a military hospital in the town of Mozdok near restive Chechnya which killed at least 50 people.
Putin was originally scheduled to make his way here on July 8 but that trip was called off after at least 20 people were reportedly killed by suicide bombers at a rock concert in Moscow.
Putin is here at the invitation of Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Supreme Head of State) Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Syed Putra Jamalullail. The visit is also to reciprocate Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's visit to Russia in March last year.
Putin and Mahathir are scheduled to hold talks on bilateral economic and wide-ranging international issues.
Bilateral trade stood at 1.34 billion ringgit (352.63 million US dollars) last year and was largely in Russia's favor.
Kuala Lumpur and Russia are expected to ink three cooperation agreements covering communications, defence, and science and technology.