Head of Bashkortostan spoke about international prospects of our region

UFA, 15 March 2017. /Bashinform News Agency, Alfiya Agliullina/. The Head of Bashkortostan Rustem Khamitov in his interview with the "Expert-Ural" magazine spoke about the international relations prospects of the region.

"We are trying to cooperate globally. Last year, representatives of 40 countries visited us, including 14 diplomatic missions; eight of them were headed by ambassadors. In December, the second Small Business Forum of the regions of the SCO member states and the BRICS was held in Ufa", Rustem Khamitov said.

At the same time, the Head of the Republic noted that not only large companies attracted investors. "Often the host party is small and medium business. We successfully work with Italians. They are generally very much inclined to work with our country. They criticize initiators of sanctions. But they cannot do anything about it due to external forces. They are looking for ways to cooperate with us. We continue to work on several agribusiness projects with the countries of Western Europe. South Africa plans to assembly and sell quarry dump trucks here", the Head of the Region said.

Rustem Khamitov named China and Vietnam as the countries of global interaction of the republic in the East. He said that the Ambassador of Vietnam had repeatedly visited Ufa. Besides in January the Bashkir delegation was received by the President, Prime Minister and Vice-Premier of this country. It is noteworthy that one of the largest Vietnamese Diasporas in Russia lives in our republic.

The Head of the Region noted that Bashkortostan actively cooperated with the Turkic-speaking countries at the same time staying away from radical religious movements.

Speaking about Ufa as a major international venue, Rustem Khamitov marked that in 2019 International Children's Games would be held in Bashkortostan: 65-70 countries submitted applications. In 2020 Ufa will host the World Folkloriade. This is also 70 countries, three thousand participants, new contacts with representatives of states, regions, municipalities.

"We are bidding for the right to hold the World Forum of Beekeepers in 2021. It takes place every two years. This year it took place in Turkey, in 2019 - in Canada. The bid is submitted. If it wins, we will welcome 110 countries, 10 thousand participants. This is a global event and a chance to confirm the status of Bashkortostan as the main honey capital in Russia", Rustem Khamitov said.