MOSCOW, May 14 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Moscow early Monday for a two-day visit aimed at easing tensions triggered by a series of disputes between the two Cold War rivals.

    Rice and Russian officials will focus their discussion on bilateral and global topics, including Iran's nuclear issue, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Kosovo and U.S. plans to deploy anti-missile systems in Europe, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.

    They will also make arrangements for a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart George W. Bush, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

    The two presidents are expected to meet on the sidelines of a Group of Eight summit in June.

    Russia-U.S. ties are experiencing a downturn sparked by rows over an array of issues, especially U.S. plans to deploy anti-missile components in Europe, close to Russia's western border.

    "On many things we have done very well, but the fact is that on some others it's been a difficult period," Rice said in testimony to a Senate Appropriations subcommittee last Thursday.