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M. Kamynin. Interview in view of Russian-German intergovernmental consultations


April 24, 2006

- 26-27 of April the 8th round of Russian-German consultations with the participation of both countries’ government officials was held in Tomsk. How could you describe this meeting? What was it aimed at?

- Such bilateral summits take place annually to begin with 1998. They are being held in turn in Russia and Germany and represent the important mechanism of two countries’ position coordination and determination of the priority directions of the bilateral cooperation. The coming round is the first meeting after the forming of the new “big coalition” government in Germany – CDU-CSU / GSDP. The meeting is to confirm the general direction of the countries aimed at the strategic partnership development, based on the balance of mutual confidence and aiming practical results.
Moscow and Berlin officials are sure that the Tomsk summit will give additional impulse to the further developing confidence between the two peoples at the profit of strengthening the peace and stability in Europe.

- Who will take part in the coming ministers’ meeting?

- The high level of the bilateral relationship of Russia and Germany is confirmed by the unexampled participation of Russian and German ministers. Particularly, Russia will be presented by the Ministers of Finance, Foreign and Internal Affairs, Economic Development and Trade, Industry and Energy, Informational Technologies and Communications, Health and Social Development, Culture and Mass Communications, Transport, Regional development, Natural Resources and the Director of Foreign Intelligence. The German team is also very representative so we can speak about the “out session” of both governments.

- What is the agenda of the Tomsk meeting?

- It is supposed to conduct the exchange of opinions on the widest spectrum of the bilateral relations of the two countries which increases every year. In particular, the participants will discuss the important bilateral projects in such spheres as energy (including the project of the Northern gas pipeline), transport, infrastructure, bank business, machinery construction, the participation of the German business in the implementation of the Russian national projects.
A very important issue to be discussed in Tomsk is the consistent development of scientific and technical, as well as cultural and humanitarian cooperation, the strengthening of the two countries civil societies cooperation. In this connection the dialogue participants will discuss the process of realization of the recent projects, including the Mutual Declaration on strategic partnership at the sphere of innovations, scientific research and education of April 11, 2005.

The summit participants will also discuss the Russian G8 presidency in 2006, which has education, energy security and infectious diseases as its priorities. At this sphere Russia has close ties with Germany, which takes the baton of the G8 presidency from Russia in 2007.

The meeting participants will also pay their special attention to the development of commercial and economic relations which are considered as the basis of Russian-German partnership.
Before the consultations in Tomsk several drafts of bilateral agreements on inter-ministerial relations and business cooperation will be prepared. These problems have been already discussed in March within the Russian-German Working Group on strategic issues of commercial, financial and economic cooperation. This important mechanism of international cooperation was created in 2000 by the initiative of Russian President and German Chancellor. The Group is dealing such important questions as the Russian participation at the annual Hanover Exhibition and at the International Aerospace Exhibition “ILA-2006” in May this year in Berlin, where Russia is declared as the main country-partner. In Tomsk the negotiations of the two countries business structures high officials will also take place.

- How does the Russian-German trade cooperation develop recently?

- The trade and economic cooperation between our countries develops very dynamically. The volume of trade in 2005 totals 32,9 billion USD. Last year it has increased to 37,7%.
Fir the 1st of January 2005 the total volume of German investments into the Russian economy came to 9,726 billion USD. During 2005 the German investments into the Russian economy constituted 3 billion USD with the increase of 73,3%.

- What international issues will be included into the Tomsk agenda?

- The summit agenda will include the wide spectrum of European and international affairs, particularly the international relationship within the framework of the UN, European Union, Russia-NATO, OSCE, Council of Europe, other international organizations.
The commonness of our approaches to the main directions of international policy form a solid basis for the fruitful dialogue on the key actual problems. It was, in particularly, confirmed during the recent visit of the Russian Foreign Minister Serguei Lavrov to Germany in April, 5-6. In this connection it is also supposed to discuss the Iranian nuclear program, the strengthening of initiatives within the problem of nuclear weapons non-proliferation, the Russian President initiatives about the creation of international centers providing nuclear cycle services, the situation at the Middle East, Balkans, Afghanistan.

There will be also an opinions exchange on the international cooperation in fighting terrorism, organized crime, drug traffic and other new challenges. The main coordinator of this discussion is the Working group on the security issues.

Expert opinion

Halter Marek

02.12.06

Halter Marek
Le College de France
Olivier Giscard d’Estaing

02.12.06

Olivier Giscard d’Estaing
COPAM, France
Mika Ohbayashi

02.12.06

Mika Ohbayashi
Institute for Sustainable Energy Poliñy
Bill Pace

02.12.06

Bill Pace
World Federalist Movement - Institute for Global Policy
Peter I. Hajnal

01.12.06

Peter I. Hajnal
Toronto University, G8 Research Group


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