Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will address a conference of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe on Tuesday as part of his European tour.
Lavrov will also meet with his Austrian counterpart Michael Spindelegger, President Heinz Fischer and Chancellor Werner Faymann before leaving for Switzerland on Wednesday.
The OSCE is holding its 2009 Annual Security Review Conference at the Hofburg Imperial Palace, the official residence of the Austrian president.
The two-day conference will open with a working session on the OSCE”s activities in early warning, conflict prevention and resolution, crisis management, and post-conflict rehabilitation.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko earlier said Moscow is hoping to use the conference to continue discussions on President Dmitry Medvedev”s initiative to develop a legally binding European security treaty.
The president first proposed the idea of a new security pact in Berlin last June, saying it should include conflict prevention and confidence building measures, as well as arms control mechanisms.
Nesterenko said that during Lavrov”s visit to Switzerland, he will meet with Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey to discuss preparations for the Russian president”s first visit to Switzerland, due in the fall.
The talks will also focus on Medvedev”s security agreement proposals, and the representation by Switzerland of Russia”s interests in Georgia.
