MOSCOW. Feb 19 (Interfax) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will attend the third ministerial round of the Strategic Dialogue between Russia and the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) in Kuwait on Wednesday.
The round will focus on the Syrian peace process, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov told reporters.
"We are expecting a constructive dialogue based on mutual respect and an attentive attitude of our Gulf partners to our arguments, assessments and prognoses for Syria," the diplomat said.
He noted that the third round of the Russia-GCC Strategic Dialogue was initially scheduled for last year and its adjournment was not Russia's fault.
"It might have been a sign of their unpreparedness to discuss the most sensitive issues, primarily, the Syrian settlement, with us. We are glad that our partners are now ready for this conversation against the backdrop of a general understanding that the Syrian crisis does not have a military solution and it is necessary to look for political ways based on the Geneva Communique," Bogdanov said.
"In spite of the complications encountered during the two first rounds of the negotiations, I still hope we can implement this document," he emphasized.
"Besides Syria, other regional problems will be discussed, such as the Palestinian problem and prospects for Palestinian-Israeli negotiations, the situation in Libya, in Egypt, the whole of the Middle East and North Africa, and the situation in Iraq," the diplomat said.
The sides will touch upon the relationship between the Gulf countries and Russia.
"Bilateral cooperation issues are of paramount importance: trade, economic, investment and military-technological. The Strategic Dialogue is not limited to international and regional affairs. Serious progress has been made and major investment deals have been concluded with the United Arab Emirates amongst others," Bogdanov said.
Lavrov will meet with the head of the Saudi delegation, either Foreign Minister Saud al-Faysal or First Deputy Foreign Minister Abdelaziz bin Abdullah, on the round's sidelines, he continued.
"We had expressed the wish, and our Kuwaiti partners gladly responded, to hold a visit of our minister to Kuwait simultaneously with the Strategic Dialogue's meeting. Our minister will start his working day tomorrow with an audience with Emir Sabah al-Ahmad," Bogdanov said.
Lavrov will meet with his Kuwaiti colleague, as well.