Duma Speaker Gennadii Seleznev, who is visiting Washington D.C., and U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert signed a memorandum of cooperation between the two legislative chambers on 1 May, ITAR-TASS and RIA-Novosti reported. Seleznev also discussed with U.S. lawmakers cooperation in fighting against international terrorism, as well as the situation in Iraq and the Middle East.

After his talks, Seleznev told journalists that American representatives had proposed an interparliamentary conference in Moscow with participation of parliamentarians from Russia, the United States, and the European Union, as well as representatives from Israel, Palestine, and Arab countries.

(RFE/RL 02.v.02)