On June 1, 2011, Valentina Matvienko, St.Petersburg Governor, met with Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, President of Mongolia, during his official visit to Russia.
On June 1, 2011, Valentina Matvienko, St.Petersburg Governor, met with Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, President of Mongolia, during his official visit to Russia.
In her welcoming speech, Valentina Matvienko said that the President's visit is timed to a landmark for Mongolia and the Russian-Mongolian relations — a centenary of the founding of Mongolia and the 90th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The Governor reiterated the commitment to the agreements reached through the efforts of the leaders of the two counties, and the intention to further develop the close cooperation with Mongolia. According to Valentina Matvienko, the necessity to build a clear mechanism for the full cooperation is dictated by the relatively low rates of trade and economic cooperation between St.Petersburg and Mongolia, insignificant against the overall economic cooperation between the two countries.
During the meeting, St.Petersburg Governor stressed that St.Petersburg has a lot to offer as promising areas of cooperation with Mongolia, giving priority to cooperation in such fields as trade, industry, tourism, congress and exhibition activities. St.Petersburg is interested in wide cooperation with the Mongolian side in the areas of pharmacology, design and construction of energy facilities, cooperation of small and medium-scale businesses.
Valentina Matvienko also pointed to the great potential of bilateral cooperation in education. Out of the fifteen hundred Mongolian students sojourning in Russia, about a hundred receive their education in higher educational institutions of the Northern capital of Russia. St.Petersburg, historically being one of the leading centers for Mongolia-related sciences, is interested in deepening the partnership in this area.
The Governor also reaffirmed the commitment of St.Petersburg to help the citizens of Mongolia make familiar with the exhibits that are cultural and historical heritage of this country and are extensively represented in the museums of the Northern capital of Russia.
News Source: St.Petersburg Committee for External Relations