Kazan recieves delegation of Kaliningrad oblast

Last night, the delegation of the Kaliningrad oblast led by Governor Vladimir Egorov arrived to international airport "Kazan" with a special flight from Kaliningrad. At the ladder, the visitors were welcomed by the co-chairman of the Higher Council of the "United Russia" party, Mintimer Shaimiev, and the RT Prime Minister, Rustam Minnikhanov.

Talking to journalists, Mintimer Shaimiev and Vladimir Egorov marked that during the 4-day stay of the delegation to Kazan, it is necessary to make very much for strengthening and development of social and economic and cultural ties between Tatarstan and the Kaliningrad oblast.

The results achieved by Tatarstan under the leadership of President Shaimiev for these years are magnifying, - Vladimir Egor has emphasized. Our goal is to learn and suggest specific steps towards broader relationship, especially in external economic cooperation. The foreign trade turnover of the Kaliningrad oblast in 2002 made $2.207 billion, in the first half-year of the current year this figure was at the rate of $1.141 billion.

Mintimer Shaimiev has noted that Kaliningrad has a unique strategic site and it is the extremely important to use the large potential of the only nonfreezing port complex of the Russian Federatio on the Baltic sea. The Kaliningrad transport unit recieved rapid developmant. Taking these opportunities, Tatarstan may successfully promote its production to the foreign markets. The President sees the big prospects in export of machine-building production of Tatarstan.

Relation of the Republic of Tatarstan and the Kaliningrad oblast are based on the basis of the Agreement between the RT Government and administration of the Kaliningrad oblast on trade and economic, scientific and technical and cultural cooperation dated May 19, 2003. In 2002, inter-regional commodity turnover of Tatarstan with the Kaliningrad oblast accounted to Rbl 42.3 million, it is half time more as compared to 2001 (Rbl 29 million). Export of Tatartsan production tataled Rbl 20.8 million.

On preliminary results of 2002 All-Russia National population census, there are 16,000 Tatars living in the Kaliningrad oblast . The Tatar diaspora is the third in number next to the Russian and Byelorussian ones. Founded was a number of public organisations, Tatar cultural centres. In 2003, Kaliningrad commercial and industrial company "Tatarstan" was formed. The general line of this company is promotion of the goods and production of Tatarstan in the Kaliningrad oblast and the adjoining countries. Mintimer Shaimiev thanked Vladimir Egorov for creation of all necessary conditions for life and cultural development of the Tatar diaspora in Kaliningrad.

Withing the framework of the programme, the delegation will be: opening the exhibition-presentation of the enterprises of Tatarstan and the Kaliningrad oblast, visiting the JSC "Kazan helicopters", touring the city. October 5 will see the delegation leaving for Naberezhnye Chelny and Elabuga, where the visitors will visit "KamAZ" and "ElAZ".