Dmitriev, the special representative of the Russian president and president of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, said in a TV program broadcast on the 6th that a new round of contacts between Russia and the United States may take place next week. Earlier, according to the Russian "Izvestia" quoted Dmitriev as saying that Russia and the United States have started discussions on rare earth metal projects in Russia. Dmitriev said that American companies have shown interest in potential cooperation agreements, and Russian and American representatives are expected to hold a new round of talks in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, in mid-April. According to reports, after the resumption of dialogue between Russia and the United States, not only political issues will be discussed, but also economic cooperation and other fields will be covered. (Jin Ten)