Rustem Khamitov proposed new pattern of international partnerships - «R2R»

UFA, 11 September 2014. /Bashinform News Agency,Galiya Nabieva/. Rustem Khamitov proposed to consider a new format of international partnerships at the regional level speaking at a meeting of the Board of the Business Council in Tajikistan.

“We propose to consider the format «R2R» - «Region to region", the format of horizontal integration formation”, Rustem Khamitov addressed to members of the SCO Business Council. The head of the republic said that Bashkortostan was actively involved in fostering international partnerships in the context of foreign policy in Russia.

“We are developing relations with Kazakhstan, Belarus - Russian partner countries of the Eurasian Economic Union. Today, 70 percent of the Russian-Kazakh trade falls on interregional communication”, the head of the republic specified. “We have experience in working with the People's Republic of China. There is a positive experience of cooperation between the regions of the Volga Federal District and the regions of Upper, Middle Yangtze River of China.”

According to Rustem Khamitov, since 2012 Bashkortostan has been closely working with Indian and Brazilian regional partners.

“The same work, in our view, will be productive and with other countries - participants of the SCO and BRICS. Our work with China confirms that such communication is the most effective”, the head of Bashkortostan expressed his confidence.

Rustem Khamitov said that at the SCO Summit in Ufa an issue of inter-regional relations strengthening may be one of the main topics. A draft-proposal to hold the International Forum for Inter-regional Economic Integration Development of the BRICS countries as part of the Summits has been already submitted.

According to the head of the republic, in the framework of such forum, a platform for fruitful interaction can be created.

The head of Bashkortostan invited everyone to participate in this process, to meet in the capital of Bashkortostan in the coming year and to continue this work annually.

“Ufa is ready to become a platform for this work,” Rustem Khamitov assured. “It would be fine if a committee for interregional cooperation is formed under permanent non-governmental bodies of the SCO. We could offer Ufa as a location for the headquarters of the committee.”