News



Alexander Tsybulsky: positive outlook on Russian–Norwegian cross-border dialogue

Alexander Tsybulsky: positive outlook on Russian–Norwegian cross-border dialogue

“Interregional connections, situated outside the realm of politics, are resistant to foreign policy changes,” claimed Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation Alexander Tsybulsky, taking part in the fourth session of the working group on interregional and cross-border cooperation of the Russian–Norwegian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic, Industrial, Scientific, Technical and Cross-border Cooperation, held in Kirkenes, Norway.

Participants discussed outcomes of implementing the Outline for Events to Create Favourable Legal, Trade and Economic and Related Conditions for Strengthened Russian–Norwegian Cross-Border Cooperation for 2011–2015.

The Deputy Minister noted that Russia’s regions are looking first of all at their foreign counterparts as potential partners. “This acts as a safeguard for bilateral initiatives and underscores a positive outlook in the relations between our businesses,” Tsybulsky said.

“There are now significant opportunities open to Russia and Norway’s regions in key areas of cooperation. This does not just mean our trade and investment partnership, but joint development of arctic tourism, scientific exchanges, support for indigenous peoples of the north, improvements to road communications and many other areas. The sessions of the Commission have become a platform for dialogue, a sort of ‘window display’ for sharing best practices and taking decisions on the most large-scale and significant cross-border objectives,” observed Tsybulsky.

During his speech, he outlined a number of measures taken to improve the efficiency of developing trade and economic cooperation. “In order to develop our trade and economic cooperation we need new players and new faces, in particular representatives of small and medium-sized businesses,” the Deputy Minister said, noting in addition that regular Russian–Norwegian business forums could provide another tool for regional cooperation.

“As the forum held in Oslo in October 2015 has shown, interest in the Russian market among large-scale Norwegian firms remains stable at the very least,” the Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation said.

Agreements on the further expansion of interregional and cross-border cooperation were reached during the session of the Commission, especially concerning increases to the capacity of the Borisoglebsk and Storskog checkpoints, with joint work on developing the relevant infrastructure set to be carried out.

Presentations on investment potential and specific projects being carried out in Russia’s federal subjects, including the Innopolis and Lotos special economic zones and companies Arctic Resource and INTSOK were given on the sidelines of the event.

In his closing words to the session, Aleksandr Tsybulsky confirmed the intentions of the Russian side to actively continue its work in developing Russian–Norwegian interregional and cross-border partnership, and invited attendees to participate in the 20th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, which will take place on June 16–18, 2016.

Source: http://economy.gov.ru/minec/about/structure/drmps/2016260102

Read also