President Klaus begins state visit to Russia

President Vaclav Klaus began an official visit to Russia on Thursday. On Friday, he is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and later travel to the Republic of Tatarstan in the Volga Federal District. President Klaus is accompanied by his wife Livia, Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek, Industry and Trade Minister Martin Riman and other officials as well as around a hundred Czech businessmen. President Klaus's four-day trip is the first ever visit to Russia by a Czech head of state.