Mr. Putin and Mr. Lagos both welcomed the coming into force of the Kyoto Protocol, thanks to its recent ratification by the Russian Parliament.
The Chilean President said he would like to see Russia recognized as a market economy and admitted to the World Trade Organization as soon as possible, given the significant economic achievements made by the nation in recent years.
The two nations called for the development, under UN auspices, of a comprehensive strategy to respond to global threats and challenges, as part of efforts to meet the United Nations Millennium Declaration commitments.
According to the Putin-Lagos communique, fighting against famine poverty, terrorism, and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction is crucial to global security.
Russia is calling for a broad-based conference on Iraq, President Putin said at a press conference following the talks with his Chilean counterpart. He highlighted the importance of engaging Mideastern nations in the reconstruction effort in Iraq. He also said the Russian stance on Iraq was well known to the global community and that it has not changed.
Mr. Putin announced his plans to meet with U.S. President George W. Bush on the sidelines of the APEC summit in Santiago. "We will be discussing many international issues, including ones related to Iraq," he said. He also pointed out the need for the international community to join hands and help Iraq get back on its track.
