Tatarstan President met with the Ambassador of France Mr. Jean de Gliniasty

June 19, a meeting of Tatarstan President Mintimer Shaimiev and the delegation of the French Republic headed by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to the Russian Federation Jean de Gliniasty has been held today at Kazan Kremlin.

Prospects of bilateral Tatarstan-France cooperation, particularly in economy and culture, and organization of the Year of France in Russia and the Year of Russia in France in 2010, were discussed at the talks.

Tatarstan President indicated that the relations between France and Tatarstan don’t start from the ground up; they are based on the beneficent cooperation between Russia and France in the recent years. The ambassadors of France to the Russian Federation play a key role in extension of fruitful Tatarstan-France cooperation.

After the meeting, Jean de Glinasty told journalists that France had taken the first place in the investments volume in Tatarstan in 2008. According to his words, a possibility of starting the rally ‘Dakar’ in Tatarstan was discussed at the meeting with Tatarstan President. It would contribute to development of automobile building in the republic.

Director of Tatarstan President’s Department for External Relations Timur Akulov informed journalists that a potentially productive project in the field of economic cooperation between France and Tatarstan is a plant of industrial gas production of the French company Air Liquid, which is under construction on the territory of ‘Alabuga’ SEZ at present.

Jean de Gliniasty arrived in Kazan on June 18 evening. His visit to Tatarstan will last for 3 days. The visit program includes the following events: a visit to Schneider Electric company’s electrical equipment plant in Tatarstan’s Laishevo District, meeting with the republican authorities, participation in the session of ‘Alliance Francoise Kazan’ administrative council, visit to Russian Islamic University and the Academy of Public and Municipal Administration under Tatarstan President.