Foreign Minister Ikeda to Visit Russia, U.K., and France

May 21, 1997

1. Mr. Yukihiko Ikeda, Foreign Minister, will visit Russia, the U.K., and France from May 22 (Thu.) to 29 (Thu.).
   
   
2. During his stay in Russia from 22 (Thu.) to 24 (Sat.), Mr. Ikeda will pay a courtesy call on President Boris Yeltsin and have the 8th Japan-Russia Foreign Ministers' Regular Consultations with Mr. Yevgeni Primakov, Foreign Minister. (Mr. Primakov visited Japan in November last year, and this time Mr. Ikeda is returning the visit.)
   
   
3. In the U.K. from 24 (Sat.) to 25 (Sun.), Mr. Ikeda will attend the first Japan-U.K. Foreign Ministerial Talk in London with Mr. Robin Cook, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, of the new Cabinet that was established this month.
   
   
4. In France from 25 (Sun.) to 29 (Thu.), Mr. Ikeda, in Paris, will attend the 36th Ministerial-Level Council Meeting of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). At the Council Meeting, there will be discussions on such issues as sustainable growth and social cohesion, trade and investment liberalization, and the reform of OECD, and a communique will be adopted.
   
   (Taking this opportunity, Mr. Ikeda will have talks with Mr. Yoo Chong Ha, Foreign Minister of the R.O.K., and M. Hervé de Charette, Foreign Minister of France, who will also attend the Council Meeting.)