US Commerce Secretary to meet Gref, to open seminar Monday
MOSCOW, Oct 14, 2001 (Itar-Tass via COMTEX) -- U.S. Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans begins the official programme for his stay in Russia on Monday by opening a seminar on prospects for the transaction of American business in Russia. On the same day he is to meet with his Russian counterpart, Gherman Gref.
Mr Evans is being accompanied in the trip by a large delegation of U.S. businessmen who represent almost the entire spectrum of the national economy and work in such sectors as aviation and space research, the power industry, telecommunications, and agriculture. Along with major corporations such as Boeing, Lockheed-Martin, Conoko, Pratt and Whitney, the visiting U.S. businessmen also represent small companies which evince a marked interest in cooperation with Russian partners.
The U.S. Secretary of Commerce said he intends to meet Russian officials to discuss the economic reform process, including the liberalisation of trade and improvement of the investment climate. Meanwhile, experts note, the level of bilateral economic cooperation is not high enough. U.S. investments in Russia slightly exceed 7,000 million U.S. dollars and are comparable only with U.S. investments in the economy of Costa Rica.
The American delegation is also to meet with the oganisers of the Russian-American Business Dialogue (RABD) forum, which was established in the period when the presidents of the two countries met in Genoa. The forum was organised by the U.S.-Russia Business Council, the Russian-American Business Cooperation Council and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Moscow. The principal purpose of the RABD is to promote dialogue between businessmen and governments of the two countries.
Mr Evans is expected to be received by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov on Tuesday, October 16. The American delegation will wind up their stay in Russia on Wednesday, October 17.
This is already a second visit to Russia by the U.S. Commerce Secretary Russia. He visited Moscow in July together with U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Paul O'Neil.
On the eve of his visit, Mr Evans confirmed that relations with Russia are and will be one of main priorities in the policy of the George W.Bush administration. He expressed confidence that Russia will be able to become a big economic power as it carries on the reform process and ensures its economic growth.
By Irina Bazhenova |
