Russian, French presidents to discuss Iran, European security.

PARIS, February 25 (Itar-Tass) - At talks in Paris on March 1, French
President Nicolas Sarkozy and visiting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
will discuss major projects of bilateral cooperation and issues of
international partnership.
According to sources from the Elysee Palace, the sides will focus in
particular on Iran's nuclear programme, European security, the situation
in the Middle East and the world economy.
"The upcoming visit by Dmitry Medvedev will become an excellent
opportunity to confirm a high level of bilateral relations and to deepen
the existing privileged partnership of France and Russia," sources from
the French president's administration noted.
On March 2, the two presidents will take part in a ceremony to unveil
the exhibition Holy Russia in the Louvre Museum. Collections from the
Kremlin, museums of Vladimir, Suzdal and Novgorod will feature Russia's
history before Peter the Great.
The exhibition will be held within the framework of cultural and
social events timed to the Year of France in Russia and the Year of Russia
in France. On the same day there will be a reception for the Russian
president and his wife at the Elysee Palace.

.Snowstorms forecasted in Sakhalin, Khabarovsk region.

VLADIVOSTOK, February 25 (Itar-Tass) - Russia's Sakhalin and the
Khabarovsk region have received a warning about heavy snowstorms
approaching. The press services of the regional departments of the Russian
Ministry for Emergency Situations say weathermen forecast winds up to 30
meters per second, wet snow and poor visibility (up to 500 meters).
Ships off Sakhalin and the Khabarovsk region have received a storm
warning.

.Over 400 tourism companies to take part in Kislovodsk forum.

KISLOVODSK (Stavropol region), February 25 (Itar-Tass) - The seventh
south-Russian resort forum Caucasus Resort-2010 opens on Thursday in
Russia's city of Kislovodsk. About 400 tourism companies from Russia,
Armenia and Ukraine will take part in the forum, sources from the
Stavropol region's ministry for economic development told Tass.
"A vast business and cultural program of the forum will make it
possible to discuss topical issues of tourism and balneology of Russia's
southern regions," minister for economic development Yuri Yagudayev said.
Several major events will take place during the forum. A plenary
session will be devoted to the development of resorts of the Southern
Federal District. A congress on the development of public health services
in the North Caucasus and a conference for students on youth tourism will
be held within the framework of the forum. Round-table discussions will
focus on profitability of southern resorts.
New technologies and offers by participants in the market of tourism
as well as issues of strengthening the hotel business will be presented at
special exhibitions.
The program will also include advertising tours to Caucasian resorts.
The Stavropol region will present 17 investment proposals worth about
187.5 billion roubles as well as eight proposals with an innovation
component. Some major agreements and protocols will be signed, ministry
sources stressed.
The forum will continue till February 27.

.Russia, US parliament committees to boost contacts.

WASHINGTON, February 25 (Itar-Tass) - The foreign affairs committees
of the Russian State Duma lower house of parliament and the U.S. House of
Representatives have decided to intensify contacts, the chairman of the
Duma international affairs committee, Konstantin Kosachev, said here on
Wednesday.
The Russian parliamentarian reported to journalists on the results of
the fifth joint session of the two foreign affairs committees held earlier
on Wednesday behind closed doors. Kosachev said previously sessions of the
foreign policy committees used to be held once a year. Now they will be
held every half-a-year, he stressed.
Now they will become longer, as parliamentarians will meet for two
days. The second day will be spetnt "in regions", outside the capitals of
Russia or the USA, he explained. It is expected that the next joint
session will be held in Moscow either in the second half of November or in
December.
Besides, from now on between the sessions the committees will
"exchange in a written form information on current issues" that concern
the interests of both countries "in order not to present each other with a
fait accompli".
Finally, they will "try to arrive at a joint statement" on the
upcoming 65th anniversary of V-Day. It is not ruled out that such a
document will be passed not at the committee level, but at the level of
State Duma and the House of Representatives.
Work on this statement, initiated by Russia and supported by the USA
is important "against the background of speculations" concerning WWII "in
some European countries," the head of the Duma committee stressed.
Kosachev said the session on Wednesday was "productive and
constructive". According to both sides, it differed qualitatively from
previous sessions. Kosachev said the sides "had not exchanged the earlier
prepared positions" but had an interested dialogue devoid of
"confrontational nature" and "a lecturing manner".
There were no forbidden topics during discussions, he pledged.
According to Kosachev, the sides discussed not only bilateral political
and economic relations, but also regional issues, such as the situation in
Afghanistan and Iraq, the nuclear problems of Iran and North Korea as well
as the Middle East settlement.
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