MOSCOW, Feb. 23 (Xinhuanet) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President George W. Bush meet in Bratislava, Slovakia, on Thursday for a summit expected to cover a broad agenda, Russian presidential aide Sergei Prikhodko said on Wednesday.

    The summit will focus on "security issues and security cooperation, the strengthening of the legal and regulatory basis, military cooperation between Russia and NATO, the OSCE, nuclear security, and cooperation on emergency response," Prikhodko was quoted by the Itar-Tass news agency as saying.

    The set of issues covers the bilateral cooperation in the field of disarmament and nonproliferation of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. The presidents will discuss in particular the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Iran, and Pakistan.

    Putin and Bush will discuss the fight against terrorism, and exchange opinions "how they view the objectives of Russian-US interaction" in this field, the official said.

    The situation in Iraq after the parliamentary elections, the Middle East, Kosovo, and conflicts in the CIS will be discussed by the presidents in the context of regional issues.

    According to the presidential aide, on the agenda of the summit are standing separately trade and economic relations between Russia and the United States. The two leaders will also talk on issues of Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO),and bilateral cooperation in such fields as outer space, energy, high technology.

    Russia "hopes that the preparations for Russia's accession to the WTO will get a new boost after Bratislava," the aide said. Enditem