PARIS, Oct 8: French President Nicolas Sarkozy leaves on Tuesday on a two-day official visit to Russia intended to stake out a “frank” new relationship with Moscow, which he has accused of “complicating” world affairs.

Since his election in May, Sarkozy has engaged in a clear rapprochement with Washington, while attacking Russia’s rights record and accusing it of using its vast oil and gas reserves to bully its European neighbours.

Unlike his predecessor Jacques Chirac, who enjoyed a warm relationship with his Russian counterpart, Sarkozy’s first major meeting with Vladimir Putin could set sparks

flying.

On a visit to Sofia last week, Sarkozy accused Russia of complicating the world’s problems, saying it “should understand that big countries have not only rights, but also responsibilities”.

But Sarkozy and Putin — who met for the first time at the Group of Eight meeting in Heiligendamm, Germany in June — have both downplayed suggestions of diplomatic tensions and underscore the importance of their relationship.

“Judging by the first meeting between Vladimir Putin and Nicolas Sarkozy...

there is every reason to believe their negotiations... will take place in the same open and constructive sprit,” Russian deputy foreign minister Alexander

Grushko told Interfax news agency.

“There is no contradiction between the desire of the French to reinforce their friendship with the United States and the development of their traditional partnership with us.” Sarkozy’s office also said the president would tell Putin of his “conviction that Russia is and will remain a major player in international relations and an essential partner.” But there will be still plenty of grounds for tension when the two meet for dinner at Putin’s dacha in the Moscow suburbs on Tuesday.

Chief among them is the question of independence for the Serbian province of Kosovo, which is backed by France but fiercely opposed by Moscow.

Iran is another area of disagreement, with Russia reluctant to back US and European calls for new sanctions to force Tehran to halt sensitive nuclear activities.

“Like us, the Russians are worried about a nuclear-armed Iran, but they are reticent to adopt new sanctions,” said a French diplomat. “In Moscow the president will try to understand why Putin is saying no.” Sarkozy has also been courting new allies within Russia’s traditional sphere of influence in central and eastern Europe.

He has visited Hungary and Bulgaria, where he received a hero’s welcome for his part in securing the release of six Bulgarian medics jailed in Libya. And on Monday, he received Polich President Lech Kaczynski and Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek at the Elysee palace.

Sarkozy, who has criticised Russia’s military campaign in Chechnya, was also expected to raise the question of human rights during a meeting with students on Wednesday. His visit comes a year after the murder of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya.On the economic front however, Sarkozy’s visit was set to confirm the healthy state of trade ties. French and Russian energy giants Total and Gazprom are in partnership to develop Russia’s vast Shtokman gas field, and Russian airline Aeroflot has pledged to buy 22 A350s from European manufacturer Airbus.

New projects to be discussed in Moscow include a possible collaboration between European aerospace giant EADS and its Russian counterpart UAC; or a French participation in the Superjet 100 passenger plane being developed by state-run aircraft manufacturers Sukhoi.—AFP