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epa03754243 German Chancellor Angela Merkel (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) attend the plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in St. Petersburg, Russia, 21 June 2013. The German chancellor's visit to the conference was marred by her last minute cancellation of a planned exhibit opening at the St. Petersburg Ermitage Museum because of a disagreement with Russian officials over who should give introductory remarks, sources in the German delegation told media. EPA/ANATOLY MALTSEV