President Gul due in Russia today

President Abdullah Gul is due to arrive today in Moscow for a three-day visit as the official guest of his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev, with an eye towards improving trade ties at a time of global economic crisis. During his visit, Gul will also hold talks with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in a bid to boost cooperation between the two countries. Regional and international issues as well as Turkey's Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform will also be discussed during the talks. Gul's visit to Russia will be the first-ever by a Turkish president.