US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will travel to Moscow next week for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other senior officials in preparation for US President George W. Bush's trip to Russia next month.

"Secretary Rice will visit Moscow April 19-20. The Secretary will meet with President Vladimir Putin, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and other Russian officials," the State Department said in a statement on Friday.

"The focus of the Moscow visit will be on preparing for President Bush's visit to Russia during the May 9 observances commemorating the end of World War II," the statement said.

After the Moscow visit, Rice will travel to Lithuania for a regular meeting of NATO foreign ministers, as well as the NATO-Russia Council and the NATO-Ukraine Commission, the statement said.

Rice will also meet Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus and Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis to discuss efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq, the statement added.
 
(Xinhua News Agency April 9, 2005)