RF makes request for continued use of EXPO nat'l pavilion.

25/3 Tass 110

BEIJING, March 25 (Itar-Tass) - Russia has requested China to enable
it to continue to use the national pavilion at the EXPO-2010 fair in
Shanghai, Alexander Golutva, Russian Deputy Minister of Culture, told
journalists at the Russian information center here on Thursday.
"The Russian side came forward with a proposal to be given an
opportunity for further use of the national pavilion so that the
activities of the culture and science center could develop on a permanent
basis," Golutva said. "The Chinese side promised to treat the request
attentively. It is quite possible that the request will be granted," he
added.
A Day of Russia at the EXPO-2010 will be held on September 28, the
Deputy Minister announced. As for a specific programme for cultural
activities, it is in the stage of coordination, Golutva added. "It is
clear that performances are to be presented there by artistic collectives:
dancing, singing, and other ensembles," he specified.
"We shall do our best to ensure that Russia Day is held on a very high
note and give pleasure to all visitors to the fair," the Deputy Minister
said. In particular, an intention to present a large-scale ballet
performance at the Russian pavilion had been expressed by Andrei Petrov,
director of the Kremlin Ballet theatre, during the recent guest tour of
China.
When touching upon humanitarian cooperation between Russia and China,
Alexander Golutva pointed out that it develops successfully, and is at a
high level, and that there are reserves for a further headway. A new
programme for cultural cooperation between the two countries will be
signed before the end of this year, he said. The programme is to determine
a format of the main events in this respect.
At the same time, the Deputy Minister expressed certain regret over
the observed uniformity of the guest performances of Russian artistic
collectives in China. Chinese audiences, he said, are little acquainted
with new processes in the cultural life of Russia. In view of that, he
specified, "There are plans to discuss some change in priorities with
colleagues from the Ministry of Culture of the People's Republic of China
so that new cultural phenomena in both countries would be made accessible
to the public at large".
-0-pop/ast