Denis Manturov Meets Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder
The Russian Minister of Trade and Industry thanked the German ex-Chancellor for a significant contribution to strengthening the cooperation between the two countries. "During your time in office, you laid a very solid foundation for Russian-German relations, the lasting benefits of which are still felt today, particularly in the current challenging environment," Denis Manturov noted.
Talking about furthering the industrial cooperation between Russia and Germany, the minister specifically noted the participation of Russian regional leaders in working meetings scheduled in the programme of his visit to Germany: "I specifically invited representatives of Russian regions to join our meeting for them to establish direct links with German regions."
Responding to the former Chancellor's questions about Russia's life under sanctions, the Russian Minister of Trade and Industry said that Western policy makers were greatly mistaken in believing that Russia heavily relied on Western technologies. "We in Russia have developed very strong basic and applied science. Moreover, in certain areas we are roughly at a par with European countries - I am referring to biotechnology, photonics and robotics. And for us to successfully develop these areas we need collaboration and active cooperation with Germany and other European nations," Denis Manturov noted.
In concluding the meeting, Gerhard Schroeder indicated his support for the approach towards furthering cooperation in trade and industry outlined by the Russian Minister of Trade and Industry and added that the role of German business community and industry associations should not be underestimated. According to the ex-Chancellor, they should make efforts to ensure that Germany's small and medium businesses actively pursue cooperation with Russia as Russia has been and remains Germany's largest partner.
In Russian: http://minpromtorg.gov.ru/press-centre/news/#!denis_manturov_vstretilsya_s_ekskanclerom_frg_gerhardom_shrjoderom
http://minpromtorg.gov.ru/
