MOSCOW – Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Indian counterpart,Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, will hold negotiations in Moscow on August 27 todiscuss a wide range of issues, including Indian-Pakistani tensions aroundthe disputed Kashmir region.

“On August 27, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and the foreignminister of the Republic of India will hold talks in Moscow. The foreignministers will discuss ways to promote bilateral cooperation and willcompare notes on the schedule of further contacts,” Russian ForeignMinistry’s spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing on Thursday.

She stressed that the agenda would be rich at the upcoming talks.

“They will discuss a wide range of issues, including regional matters,certainly. Taking into consideration that the UN Security Council has helda session on the matter, I believe they will certainly exchange opinions[on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir], I have no doubt in it,” Zakharovasaid, when asked, whether the ministers would discuss the developments inthe India-administrated Jammu and Kashmir state, where tensions recentlyflared up over New Delhi’s decision to strip the state of its specialstatus and thus deprive it of the certain autonomy it used to enjoy.

Lavrov and Jaishankar will also discuss Indian delegation’s participationin the upcoming Eastern Economic Forum, which Russia’s Vladivostok willhost from September 4-6, as well as the situation around the Iran nucleardeal, Zakharova said.

Situations in the Persian Gulf and in Afghanistan, Russian-Indiancooperation in the Asian-Pacific region and in the Shanghai CooperationOrganisation, as well as preparations for Russia’s 2020 chairmanship in theBRICS will also be on the agenda, the spokeswoman noted.