Outgoing Czech Prime Minister Milos Zeman led a large delegation of Czech businessmen on a trip to St. Petersburg, where he held talks with his Russian counterpart, Kasyanov, and participated in the St. Petersburg Economic Forum on 20 June, Western and Russian news agencies reported.

Zeman declared that Russia is a stable state that is fulfilling its international obligations and "the insurance of Czech investments in Russia is no longer necessary," ITAR-TASS reported. Zeman and Kasyanov also discussed curbing illegal immigration, visa issues, the possibility of sending Russian citizens serving time in Czech prisons back to Russia for incarceration there, and Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization.

The prime ministers also signed an agreement under which Russia will supply nuclear fuel worth $200 million to the Czech Republic outside the framework of Russia's debt-repayment scheme. Businessmen traveling with Zeman concluded an array of contracts with Russian counterparts, CTK reported.

(RFE/RL 20.vi.02)