MOSCOW. Feb 8 (Interfax) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will visit Algeria, South Africa and Mozambique, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said.
"The minister will pay a brief visit to several African countries next week. First, the minister will visit Algeria, where he will have negotiations with the country's administration and Foreign Minister [Mourad] Medelci," Lukashevich told a briefing in Moscow on Thursday.
The negotiation will address the situation in Mali, he said. "Besides bilateral relations, which will take up a significant part of the negotiations agenda, the talks will address the situation in Mali for the purpose of further settlement of the problems that have arisen there," Lukashevich said.
"The negotiations will also address ways of resolving old regional conflicts and issues, primarily the Arab-Israeli settlement and the situation in Western Sahara. The negotiations will also address new challenges and threats, primarily the fight against terrorism and transnational organized crime," he said.
After visiting Algeria, Lavrov will visit South Africa, where he will discuss preparations for the BRICS summit scheduled to take place in March, Lukashevich said.
"The talks will address the preparations for the BRICS summit in Durban, which will be held on March 26-27, 2012, and which will become the first meeting of the leaders of the forum on the African continent. We hail the creative approach by Pretoria to the precaution for this event," Lukashevich said.
The diplomat also said the negotiations with South Africa will address issues relating to the situation in Syria.
"Among other things, the talks will address the situation in Syria. We appreciate the constructive position of Pretoria on the events taking place in this country. We believe it is important to strengthen our cooperation with our South African friends on this vital issue. Above all, it is needed for consolidation of constructive international efforts in the interests of settlement of the situation in Syria," he said.
Lukashevich said Lavrov will also visit Mozambique. "By the way, it will be the first visit by a Russian foreign minister in the entire history of our relations with this country," he said.