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Mohammads visit to give new impetus to relations

Abu Dhabi/Dubai: Russia is looking to further promote cooperation with the UAE and Russians in the country on Sunday voiced optimism that the visit of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to Moscow will provide a new momentum to bilateral relations.

Shaikh Mohammad will start his two-day official visit to Russia on Monday, WAM reported, adding that it came in response to an invitation by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Shaikh Mohammad will hold talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on bilateral relations and cooperation in the economic, cultural, tourism and technological sectors.

The visit is a historic opportunity to intensify bilateral cooperation, especially in trade and economic spheres, said Pavel Merkulov, Russia's charge d'affaires in Abu Dhabi. "Both sides are going to revise the situation, to fix directions and priorities on how to move forward to mutually beneficial economic prosperity for the two countries," he said.

Members of the Russian community felt Shaikh Mohammad's visit will result in the UAE becoming more popular among Russian tourists and business people.