German chancellor to visit Moscow next month

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder will pay a one-day working visit to Moscow on July 8, the presidential press service said Thursday.

A series of bilateral talks will be held during Schroeder's visit at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin, the service said.

Businessmen from both sides will meet at a scheduled roundtable conference aimed at finding ways for further economic cooperation.

Schroeder's July trip to Russia was arranged by the two leaders during their meeting at the recent G-8 summit in Sea Island, the United States.

Schroeder visited Moscow last time on April 2, becoming the first Western leader Putin met after his mid-March reelection.

Russia and Germany forged closer relations last year when the two countries, along with France, opposed strongly the US-led war on Iraq.