28 May 2004 07:56
Russia`s Urals, France upbeat on economic cooperation
Yekaterinburg, 28 May: The consultative council for foreign investment under the Russian president's envoy in
the Urals Federal District and a delegation of Mouvement des Entreprises de France (MEDEF) have held a joint session in
Yekaterinburg.
The session discussed the development of Russian-French interregional trade and economic cooperation, the
district's press service told RIA today.
"The dynamics of establishing new mutually beneficial relations between the two states and businessmen imbues
optimism," envoy Petr Latyshev said. The growth of foreign trade and investment proves that the cooperation is a
success, he added. The district attracted a total of 5,564m dollars in foreign investment in 2003, a 120-per cent growth
on 2002. France's share in this totalled 2.74bn dollars in 2003, a 220-fold increase on 2000. The share of the
Urals Federal District in the total foreign investment in Russia grown from 8.7 per cent in 1999 to 18.7 per cent in
2003.
France is a major consumer of Russian natural gas. Gas supplies from the federal district make up a third of
Russian-French trade turnover. France is 15th biggest partner regarding exports and sixth regarding imports from the
district, whereas it was 25th and 10th correspondingly in 2000.
Latyshev also said that business contacts had been established between businessmen from the federal district and
France. The envoy's administration has drafted an action plan to support accords reached at a presentation in
Paris.
French ambassador to Russia Jean Cadet said that political accords reached by the French and Russian presidents had
become a basis for developing economic ties, including at an interregional level.
The head of the French delegation, vice president of MEDEF International Jean-Claude Darenne, said that serious
agreements were signed when an official delegation from the district visited France in October 2003. The dynamic
development of the Urals Federal District's economy and dynamic development of France enables to look at prospects
for developing relations with optimism.
[RIA news agency] |
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