FEDERAL PRESIDENT OF AUSTRIA TO VISIT MOSCOW

VIENNA, FEBRUARY 13, (RIA NOVOSTI Correspondent Borislav PECHNIKOV) - When coming on a brief visit to Moscow this Sunday, Austrian Federal President Thomas Klestil will represent not only his country but also the entire European Union, reports a high-ranking source in the president's office.

"The European Union sees it beneficial to have Russia as a full-fledged partner sharing European values and meeting European political, economic and social standards," said the source.

When in Moscow, Thomas Klestil plans to tackle with the Russian leadersghip the subject of international terrorism and the recent explosion set in the Moscow subway. In his opinion, Europe's allegedly good advice of withdrawing troops from Chechnya is fraught with a major danger since Usama ben Laden and his terrorist grouping Al-Qaeda will then feel exceptionally comfortable in the Russian Caucasus.