Medvedev to see Merkel in Munich after G8

Dmitri MedvedevBerlin - President Dmitri Medvedev is to represent Russia next week at a round of talks near Munich with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, a Berlin spokesman said Wednesday.

The annual talks between key cabinet ministers will come right after US President Barack Obama's inaugural trip this week to Moscow and the G8 summit in L'Aquila, Italy.

Germany's business commission for trade with Russia said an agreement on guarantees against non-payment for German exports would also be signed during the talks at Schleissheim Palace near Munich.

Klaus Mangold, chairman of the commission said German exporters were currently worried that financially shaky Russian customers might default on as much as 5 billion euros, so the accord was vital to continued trade. (dpa)