Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived here this morning on his first official visit to the UAE, the state news agency "WAM" reported. President Putin will hold talks with UAE President Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan, according to the local media. The Talks will focus on trade relations between the two countries and on prospects for a Middle East peace conference in November, as well as developments in Iraq and Iran's nuclear ambitions. «Putin's historic visit to the UAE is part of Russia's stated intention of bolstering ties with Arab and Muslim countries,» the main daily English language newspaper Gulf News reported Monday and added that trade exchange between Russia and the UAE is expected to reach a record US$800 million this year. The Russian Itar-Tass news agency said Putin's one-day stop in Abu Dhabi ends a six day trip that included Australia and Indonesia. The agency quoted Russian presidential aide Sergei Prikhodko as saying that this trip is the first top visit in the «35-year history of Russian-Emirates relations.» The two sides will «naturally, discuss the military-technical cooperation,» Prikhodko said without providing details, but suggested that the UAE might be interested in Russian air defense weapons.
