MOSCOW. Feb 12 (Interfax) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier will discuss in Moscow the preparations for the high-level interstate consultations to be held this spring, issues in the relations of Russia and the European Union and the situation in Middle East.
The German foreign minister will visit Moscow on February 13-14 at the invitation of Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Ministry posted a statement on its website.
"An extensive bilateral agenda and pressing issues of international politics will be discussed. It is expected that the most attention will be paid to preparations for and substantial content of yet other Russian-German interstate consultations at the highest level, which will be held in Germany in spring 2014," the document said.
"The relations between Russia and Germany are the most important factor of European and global politics," the statement said.
"The ministers will discuss the situation of the Syrian settlement, Iranian nuclear program, Afghanistan and the Middle East," the Foreign Ministry said.
"Priority topics include further development of the EU-Russia relations, advancing the dialogue on visa-free travel, issues of ensuring strategic security of the Euro-Atlantic area, disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and fighting international terrorism and other common challenges and threats," the statement said.
"In January-November 2013 bilateral trade turnover grew by 2.1% year-on-year and amounted to $67.8 billion," the Foreign Ministry said.
"The main tasks are seen in expanding the cooperation on innovative projects, assisting closer production cooperation of Russian and German companies, active attraction of the two countries' small and medium-sized enterprises to the cooperation orbit," the document said.
In 2014-2015 the Year of the Russian Language and Literature in Germany and the Year of the German Language and Literature in Russia will be held.