ID :
113737
Sat, 03/27/2010 - 14:58
Auther :

Symposium in Palo Alto reflect shift in America's political focus.



PALO ALTO, March 27 (Itar-Tass) - The 7th Global Technological Summit
held in Palo Alto, the State of California, shifted towards resetting
relations with Russia.

Igor Agamirzyan, the general director of the Russian Venture Company,
told Itar-Tass that the symposium had been founded in 2004 as a
Russian-American forum. Later, it was renamed into a global one.
Agamirzyan explains it by the fact that at that time the number of Russian
representatives at the forum dwindled and the American side also lost its
interest in the event.
Today, the situation is different. Agamirzyan said this year's
symposium had shown increased interest in innovations in Russia.
The head of the Russian Venture Company said that Russia which is a
member of the BRIC group of countries together with Brazil, India and
China should "very clearly" define areas of competitive advantages of each
of the BRIC states.
"We are not a big country compared to India and China and it's useless
for us to compete with them in areas, requiring huge human resources. We
should compete where we have advantages. Our main advantage is the human
capital: scientific schools, the creation of intellectual property and
high technologies," Agamirzyan said.

.Russia, Belgium stress the need to increase political dialogue.

MOSCOW, March 27 (Itar-Tass) - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister
Alexander Grushko and Dirk Achten, the general director of the Federal
Service for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Belgium, have stated the
need to step up political dialogue at consultations in Brussels as Belgium
is preparing to take over the European Union's rotating presidency.
"The sides discussed the state and prospects for developing
Russian-Belgian bilateral relations as well as a wide range of
international problems presenting mutual interest," the Russian Foreign
Ministry said on Friday.
"Special attention was paid to the 2010-2011 Joint program of
Russian-Belgian cooperation to be signed soon," the Russian Foreign
Ministry went on to say.
"During the consultations the sides expressed satisfaction with
successful development and positive dynamics of Russian-Belgian relations
in trade and economic, investments, scientific-technological and cultural
spheres," the Russian Foreign Ministry went on to say.
"The sides reached joint understanding of the need to step up
political dialogue between the countries that plays a vital role in
deepening cooperation between Russia and the European Union, especially
with account taken of Belgium's forthcoming chairmanship over the
organization in the second half of 2010," the Russian Foreign Ministry
stressed.
"The sides discussed practical aspects related to organization of
future Russian-Belgian top and high-level contacts, including the
forthcoming visit to Russia of Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterm," the
Ministry said in its statement.
Other topics for discussion included the European Security Treaty, the
expansion of Russia's partnership with the European Union and NATO,
interaction on Iran's nuclear program and energy security.

.Georgia's private air carrier to make flights to Moscow in April.

TBILISI, March 27 (Itar-Tass) - Georgian Airways, Georgia's private
air company, has got permission from the Russian Ministry of Transport to
make several direct charter flights from Tbilisi to Moscow in April this
year.
Nino Giorgobiani, the Georgian Airways spokeswoman, told reporters on
Friday that direct charter flights from Tbilisi to Moscow would take place
during the Easter holiday on April 1-3 and on April 10, 12 and 14..
She stressed that the company had reached agreement with the Russian
side without interference on the part of the Georgian authorities or the
country's political parties.
The two countries cancelled direct air flights to each other in August
2008.
In December 2009, Georgian Airways asked the Russian Ministry of
Transport to allow it to make several charter flights between Tbilisi and
Moscow during the Orthodox Christmas season early in January.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia was ready to
restore direct flights to Georgia.
"Relevant authorities in the two countries could discuss that," the
Russian foreign minister went on to say.
Georgia's reaction to the idea of re-opening direct air traffic with
Russia was positive. Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Nino Kalandadze said
that negotiations with Russia on resumption of direct air flights were
possible through the Swiss embassy.
On September 2, 2008, Georgia broke off diplomatic relations with
Russia. A section of Russian interests and a section of Georgian
interests have been working at the Swiss embassies in Tbilisi and Moscow
since March 2009.

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