US envoy to discuss Iran nuclear program with Russia

U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns will arrive in Russia on Wednesday for two days of discussions with Russian officials on a wide range of global and bilateral issues including Iran nuclear program.

"William Burns will be in Moscow on January 13-14 for a regular exchange of views on the work of the Russian-U.S. presidential commission, the arms reduction treaty, European security ,Iran and North Korea's nuclear issues, the situation in Georgia," said Igor Lyakin-Frolov, deputy director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's information and press department.

Burns, who was the U.S. ambassador to Russia between 2005 and 2008, will meet with Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, members of the presidential administration, and various government officials.

The joint presidential commission, which was established during U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Moscow last July, comprises 13 working groups covering different areas of cooperation between the United States and Russia.

The work of the commission is coordinated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

/ILNA/