President of Bashkortostan Rustem Khamitov has held a meeting with CIS journalists

The President of Bashkortostan Rustem Khamitov met the journalists from CIS countries, found in the Republic on an acquaintance visit. The staff of the journalist delegation included representatives of the state news agencies of Azerbaijan, Byelorussia, Moldova and Ukraine. The journalists arrived in Bashkortostan for the first time and were invited by by the President RB. For three days they've visited the Central Clerical Muslim Dept of Russia, the all-Russian eye and plastic surgery center “ALLOPLANT” and several industrial enterprises – JSC “UMPO”, JSC “Beloretsky metallurgical plant”, JSC “UFANEFTEHIM”, agricultural objects and some regions of Bashkortostan.

“I hope you liked the main part of what you saw. From my side I'd like to say we are glad to meet you here. We are always open and ready to discuss any problems. First, I'd like to mention that Bashkortostan established economic relations with CIS long ago. Just for the last year we met diplomats of Byelorussia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan. Development of these relations is vitally important and promising for us” - Rustem Khamitov said, meeting the journalists.

In opinion of the President RB Bashkortostan keeps the closest relations with Byelorussia now.

“It seems, we maintain the closest relations with Byelorussia” - Rustem Khamitov said – Because the representative of the Belorussian Embassy lives and works here, in Bashkortostan. At present time delegation of Bashkortostan is found in Byelorussia on a business visit and agriculture, interaction and new contacts are the key subject-matter”.

“Ten days ago we were meeting with the Ukrainian Ambassador” - the President RB reported – And it was rather interesting meeting, since we were discussing not only economic problems but cultural exchange too. We've negotiated that Ukraine will help our compatriots in Kiev and other Ukrainian towns and met complete understanding. Further we intend to hold a presentation of Bashkortostan in Ukraine – in Kiev and, possible, on other regions and towns too”.

As for Azerbaijan, as the President RB said, we also have stable economic relations with this country.

“First,we keep a numerous Azerbaijani diaspora here, working in different branches of industry. Our economic relations have long-term roots. The matter is that Azerbaijan helped to master oil deposits in Bashkortostan still in the Soviet times . Many specialists from Azerbaijan worked here. The graduates of Baku institutes still work at our enterprises”.

“Our official relations with Moldova are not as good as we'd like it to be and we want to fill this gap. We are ready to cooperate with Moldova in economics and our specialists would like to start working in Moldova too, I mean exchange with technologies and knowledge. We know Moldova as the country with well-developed building technologies and it is interesting for us” - the President RB mentioned.

The President RB answered many questions and the majority of these questions were concerned with establishment of closer contacts with CIS states both in economic and cultural spheres, preservation of native languages and cultural values of the nations, inhabiting our Republic. The journalists were interested to hear to answers of the President RB concerning maintaining inter-confessional peace and friendship between nations too.