Meeting with Canadian delegation

February 14, Moscow - Russian President Vladimir Putin carried out negotiations with Prime Minister of Canada Jean Chretien who leads the delegation of 300 Canadian politicians and businessmen on official visit to Moscow. President of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev also took part in bilateral negotiations.

According to Vladimir Putin, Canadian businessmen work today throughout the whole Russia in consulting and engineering, gold-production in Magadan, hi-tech branches, in particular, in aerospace. We pay great attention to the cooperation between Russian and Canadian regions, said V.Putin and emphasized that such regions as Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Samara, Tatarstan have long-term and beneficial contacts with Canada. Among the examples of successful bilateral cooperation, V.Putin mentioned the application of Canadian avionics and engines in helicopter production in Tatarstan.

Cooperation between Tatarstan and Canadian enterprises proceeds for more than one year. The Canadian company "Pratt & Wittney Canada" (P&WC) today participate in several joint programs with Kazan engine-building production association and Kazan helicopter factory (KVZ). Light multi-purpose helicopter Ansat made by KVZ is equipped with PW engines, as well as medium multi-purpose helicopter Mi-38.

During negotiations the President of Tatarstan told about Canadian-tatarstan cooperation, in particular in agroindustrial sphere. In his opinion, this cooperation needs to be intensified.

The theme of bilateral cooperation was continued at the meeting between RT President M.Shaimiev and Prime Minister of Quebec B.Landry in the evening of the same day.