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The signing of the agreement on the transit of German military equipment and personnel to Afghanistan constitutes a serious Russian contribution to strengthening the role of the UN in the region and evidence of the growing cooperation with NATO, Vladimir Putin said during the press conference.

The broadest cooperation of all countries is needed to counter the common threats, the President noted. He said that a Russian-German inter-departmental working group on combating international terrorism, non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and counteracting drug trafficking would be set up.

Mr Putin urged an early adoption of a UN resolution on Iraq, but on condition that certain principles are observed, adding that Iraq had been discussed with the Federal Chancellor and that the approaches of the two countries to the problem contained little that was new.

Among other issues touched upon during the press conference were the possibility of effecting oil payments in euros, facilitation of the visa regime with the European Union and Russian-German cooperation in the cultural field.

Since 2000 President Putin has met the Federal Chancellor in various formats more than 20 times. The intensity of the contacts fully reflects the dynamics of Russian-German interaction, the President noted.