The Russian and Angolan governments are going to sign new accords on strengthening bilateral cooperation during its Second Session of the Angola-Russia Bilateral Commission to be held at the coming weekend, a Russian official said on Wednesday.

The meeting held in the framework of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev who is to pay a visit to Angola on Friday "may see the signing of new juridical tools for the strengthening of bilateral cooperation," said Russian Ambassador to Angola Serguy Nenachev.

He added that the new accords include the General Cooperation Accord, the Investments Reciprocal Protection Agreement and the Commercial, Scientific, Technical, Economic, Cooperation Program for 2009-2013.

According to the senior diplomat, the new accords are also related to civil aviation, humanitarian aid, higher education, health, among others.

The bilateral relations between Angola and Russia have developed on the basis of the previous cooperation with the former Soviet Union which can date back to the period of Angola's anti-colonialism struggle during the 1960s and early 1970s.

In late 2006 when Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos paid an official visit to Russia, Angola and Russia signed 10 accords, including the Memorandum of Mutual Compensation Between Russian Lukoil Overseas Holding Company and Angolan State-Owned Oil Company Sonangol, the Protocol of Cooperation Between ALROSA Co., Ltd. and Angola Diamond Company Endiama, and the Angolan-Russian Extradition Treaty.

Source: Xinhua