Rice heads to Moscow for talks

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was due to arrive in Moscow today for talks with President Vladimir Putin and other high-ranking officials.

The two-day visit is intended to pave the way for President George Bush’s trip to Moscow next month as part of a five-day European tour that also includes stops in former Soviet republics Latvia and Georgia.

From Moscow, Rice was to travel to Lithuania to attend a Nato foreign ministers meeting.

Bush will join Putin in Moscow on May 9 when Russia marks the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Alexander Yakovenko, today said Rice’s talks would span political, military and humanitarian themes.