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Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives in Lima for APEC summit

He is scheduled to meet with the leaders of China, Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines and Peru on the sidelines of the events
Russian President Vladimir Putin Mikhail Metzel/TASS
Russian President Vladimir Putin
© Mikhail Metzel/TASS

MOSCOW, November 19. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived Saturday in Lima, Peru, to attend the summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) this weekend.

He is scheduled to meet with the leaders of China, Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines and Peru on the sidelines of the events. All five meetings will be held today. The administrations of the Russian and US presidents did not arrange a separate meeting of Putin and Barack Obama. However, the two leaders will have a chance to communicate with each other during the summit.

The main event, to begin on Sunday, will be split in two sessions. The Russian president plans to deliver speeches at both.

Three themes are up for discussion during the main meeting: "Challenges to Free Trade and Investment in the Current Global Context," "Food Security, Climate Change Adaptation and Access to Water," and "Integrating the Asia-Pacific Towards a Real and Functional Connectivity in the Region."

The leaders are expected to adopt a joint declaration reflecting a coordinated approach to further development within APEC and to the current regional and global economic situation.

APEC is an international forum bringing together 21 leading economies of the world for cooperation on trade and economic development of the region. Creating the system of free and open trade and a liberal investment regime in the Asia-Pacific region has been declared the main task for APEC until 2020.

APEC nations account for 57% of global GDP, for 48% of global trade, and 40% of the global population.

Russia has been a member of APEC since 1998.