Mintimer Shamiev and Valentina Matvienko discussed prospects of cooperation between Tatarstan and Saint Petersburg

Kazan Kremlin, President of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev and governor of Saint Petersburg Valentina Matvienko discussed prospects of cooperation between the two subjects of the Russian Federation. On the part of Saint Petersburg vice-governor of Saint Petersburg Alexander Vakhmistrov, chairman of Legislative Assembly of Saint Petersburg Vadim Tyulpanov, director of the State Hermitage Mikhail Piotrovsky and other honoured guests took part in the meeting. The Republic Tatarstan at the meeting was represented by chairman of RT State Council Farid Mukhametshin, deputy Prime Minister, Minister of culture Zilya Valeyeva, head of Kazan administration Kamil Iskhakov, chiefs of the ministries and departments.

Welcoming the guests from northern capital, Mintimer Shaimiev noted that for a long time warm relations have been maintained between the city on Neva and Tatarstan. If all regions enjoyed such mutual understanding then less questions would be to each other, to the center, and from the center to us, - President said.

Having informed about social and economic situation in Tatarstan, Mintimer Shaimiev noted, that investments had started to come in the republic "Our business - is reasonably to dispose of them so that it was favourable for investors to gain their trust even more, - he said.

After the meeting Mintimer Shaimiev and Valentina Matvienko answered questions of the journalists. There are no words to express admiration over those enormous results and changes taken place in Kazan, - shared impressions the governor of Saint Petersburg.

One of the main successes of the city Valentina Matvienko named construction of Metro. "To construct five stations of the underground during our hard time for such a short period is a big event, - she noticed.

Continuing the subject of mutual cooperation, Mintimer Shaimiev emphasized, that commodity circulation between the two large regions of Russia every year is growing dynamically. He also expressed confidence, that inter-regional commodity circulation in the near future would make about 5-6 billion roubles per year. According to the data, in 2003 commodity circulation between subjects made over 2 billion roubles.