Mintimer Shaimiev visits the Republic of Altai

On September 5, 2012 Tatarstan’s State Counselor Mintimer Shaimiev and his party arrived in the Republic of Altai. Mintimer Shaimiev was met by Head and Chairman of the Altai Government Aleksandr Berdnikov, Chairman of State Assembly - El Kurutai of the Republic of Altai Ivan Belekov, and other officials at the airport of Gorno-Altaisk, the only city in republic.

On arrival, the Tatarstan delegation headed for the frontier where a memorable sign “Altai - the heart of Eurasia” was installed on behalf of the Tatarstan President Mintimer Shaimiev in 2006 on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of voluntary entry of the Altai people into the Russian state. A message to descendants is carved at the sign in Tatar, Altai, English, Japanese, Korean, Persian and Turkish languages.

There guests were met by representatives of public organizations, artists of the national drama theatre and residents of Gorno-Altaisk. The Altai national costume was gifted to Mintimer Shaimiev.

Mintimer Shaimiev also met with representatives of the Tatar community who had especially come from Semipalatinsk to meet the First President of the Republic of Tatarstan.

Official meeting of the Tatarstan’s State Counselor Mintimer Shaimiev with Head and Chairman of the Altai Government Aleksandr Berdnikov was held at the Government House of the Republic of Altai later on.

Further, Mintimer Shaimiev and Aleksandr Berdnikov visited the National museum of the Republic of Altai named after A.V.Anokhin and met with representatives of artistic community and mass media at the National drama theatre named after P.V.Kuchiyak.

On September 6, Mintimer Shaimiev and the Tatarstan delegation went to the nature park “Chui-Oozy” located in one the most picturesque places of the Mountain Altai, at the confluence of two important rivers – Chuya and Katun.

Guests from Tatarstan also visited Ongudaisk region at the picturesque place near Elo village. Here they saw national games, songs and dances.

During the trip Tatarstan’s State Counselor was accompanied by Chief of Head Department of the Russian Ministry of the interior in the Altai region Renat Timerzyanov, deputy of RF State Duma, Secretary General of the Russian Olympic Committee Marat Bariev, deputy head of the RT Presidential Staff - Chief of Tatarstan’s State Counselor Secretariat Zyavdat Salikhov, Director of the Institute of history named after Sh. Mardzhani of the RT AS Rafael Khakimov, Director of the Institute of history of the Kazan Federal (Volga) university Ramil Khairutdinov.