The Voice of Russia: Russian FM Lavrov to visit Bulgaria, discuss South Stream

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will pay a working visit to Sofia on Monday at the invitation of the Bulgarian side. The upcoming talks are expected to focus on the South Stream gas pipeline project following Bulgaria's recent suspension of its section of the pipeline. Lavrov is planning to meet with Bulgarian Foreign Minister Kristian Vigenin, President Rosen Plevneliev and Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski.

Apart from the gas issue, the sides will "synchronize watches" on a bilateral, regional and international agenda. Moscow hopes that the visit will give bilateral political dialogue a new impetus, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said he was sure the project to build the South Stream gas pipeline would be carried out in Bulgaria according to the schedule previously announced.
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