(Adds Putin's arrival, letter to separatist leaders)

By Oleg Shchedrov

BUCHAREST, April 3 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to focus on areas of agreement rather than discord at talks with NATO leaders on Friday, in efforts to keep ties with the West on a relatively even keel before he steps down.

Putin, making a guest appearance at a NATO summit before talks in Russia with U.S. President George W. Bush on Sunday, was buoyed by NATO's decision not to set Georgia and Ukraine on a path to membership at an alliance summit in Bucharest.

But NATO also pledged to let the two former Soviet republics join one day, a decision that could irk Putin.

Russian officials made clear no progress was expected in the Romanian capital on the main disputes between the former Cold War foes -- NATO enlargement, U.S. plans for a missile defence system and Kosovo's independence.

"Vladimir Vladimirovich (Putin) will indeed use the opportunity to deliver to the NATO leaders our vision of the global situation, our understanding of the need for better relations between NATO and Russia," a Kremlin source said.

"We sometimes tend to forget that apart from the existing differences there is a big positive potential that has accumulated in past years."

The meetings over the next few days will be Putin's last with NATO and Bush before he hands over to President-elect Dmitry Medvedev, his protege, in May.

Putin's assertive foreign policy has strained Russia's relations with the West. But his good personal ties with Bush have helped soothe some of the rifts and both men want to leave a good foreign policy legacy as they prepare to step down.

DISCORD

Although one Russian official said it would be a "huge strategic mistake" by NATO to take in Georgia and Ukraine, another suggested neither would soon be ready to enter NATO.

"I strongly doubt that in a year Georgia will solve its problems and Ukraine will increase the number of people favouring NATO,"Russia's ambassador to NATO, Dmitry Rogozinn, told Interfax news agency.

Putin reminded Tbilisi indirectly about pending requests by its breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia for Russian recognition and a recommendation by the Russian parliament to do so if Tbilisi joined NATO.

"Putin shares the concerns of Abkhazian and South Ossetian leaders about possible negative consequences of Georgia joining NATO," a letter quoted by the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

"Russia has informed Georgia and NATO leaders of its attitude to Georgia's policy of hasty integration into NATO," Putin added in a statement posted on the ministry's web site.

Although Putin, who arrived in Bucharest late on Thursday, will focus on positive elements of ties with NATO, he will not avoid areas of discord, Russian officials said.

Russia has alarmed the West by freezing participation in the Conventional Forces in Europe treaty, which limits troops and armour deployed from the Atlantic Ocean to the Urals Mountains.

Russia says it resorted to the move after NATO members had failed to ratify the deal. NATO says Russia should first withdraw troops from ex-Soviet Moldova, as it promised in 1999.

"We are open to dialogue but I foresee no change in our position," a senior member of the Russian delegation said.

Putin is also expected to confirm Russia's opposition to Western recognition of Serbia's breakaway province of Kosovo and raise concerns about U.S. plans to deploy elements of its missile defence system in central Europe.

Despite the differences, Putin is sure to send a signal to NATO that Russia remains committed to cooperation.

He is expected to allow a transit of the alliance's non-military goods through its territory for a 47,000-strong NATO-led United Nations force in Afghanistan.

"We view partnership with NATO as an element in ensuring global stability and security," RIA news agency quoted a Kremlin source assaying. (Additional reporting by Susan Cornwell; Editing by Timothy Heritage)

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