Putin to meet with Belarusian, Kazakh leaders in Astana on March 20 - Kremlin

MOSCOW, March 16. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin is due to arrive in Kazakhstan's capital Astana on March 20 to attend the meeting with his Belarusian and Kazakh counterparts, Alexander Lukashenko and Nursultan Nazarbayev, the Kremlin press service said on Monday. "The sides plan to discuss the state and prospects for developing the trade and economic cooperation between the three countries, as well as Eurasian integration processes with due account for the influence of modern tendencies on the world economy," the Kremlin said in a statement. The leaders will also exchange views on the topical international issues, and namely the Ukrainian crisis. During the visit, Putin is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Nazarbayev, the press service said. The meeting between the Russian, Belarusian and Kazakh leaders was earlier expected to take place on March 12-13, but it was postponed for several days upon the decision of the heads of the three countries. -0-luk Read more