MOSCOW, Nov 19 (AFP) - Russia's press on Friday identified global trade and a first meeting with US President George W. Bush since his re-election as among the most pressing issues awaiting Vladimir Putin at the APEC summit in Chile.
President Putin will be lobbying countries at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation beginning later on Friday to back Moscow's membership of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), according to the Russian dailies.
Also on his mind, they said, will be Russia's long-standing dispute with Japan over the South Kuril islands, poached by the Soviet Red Army from Japan at the end of World War II.
Quoting "Kremlin sources," the Izvestia daily underlined Moscow's growing interest in South America. Putin is due to visit Brazil as well as Chile during his tour and this is his first visit to the continent.
On the margins of the summit the Russian leader will be meeting Bush to "set the agenda for the coming years," reported Izvestia.
The Kremlin is expecting Bush to "confirm the positions expressed during his election campaign," regarding Russia, the paper said.
US Chamber of Commerce chief Thomas Donohue said recently he hoped for an agreement with Moscow on WTO accession next year.
The summit should enable Russia to seek or confirm the support of the 20 member states for its adhesion to the WTO, the paper said, as well as call for greater cooperation against global terrorism.
Putin's meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi looks like being more problematic, according to Izvestia.
Tokyo did not take kindly to suggestions that Russia might hand over two of the disputed South Kuril islands to Japan in exchange for a peace agreement. The paper said the outcome of the meeting would have a bearing on Putin's expected visit to Japan at the beginning of 2005.
According to economic paper Vedomosti, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva could announce the purchase of 12 Sukhoi-35 fighters worth 800 million dollars.
In return Moscow is set to announce that it is buying Brazilian passenger planes and will cooperate with Brazilia on a project to develop a new regional aircraft.
Another agreement in the area of space cooperation is also expected to be signed between the two states.

11/19/2004 14:15 GMT - AFP