Putin to discuss support for ethnic Germans' cultural, business centers with Merkel
YOSHKAR-OLA. July 20 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has promised to discuss the issue of supporting the cultural and business centers for Russian Germans with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
"We will talk to the Chancellor," Putin told the president of the Federal National and Cultural Autonomy of Russian Germans, Heinrich Martens, at a Council for Interethnic Relations meeting on Thursday.
Martens asked Putin on Thursday to support the implementation of the concept of cultural and business centers for Russian Germans. He also requested that the issue of supporting such centers, to develop further cooperation between Russia and Germany, be raised at the next meeting with Merkel.
Russia will provide all kinds of support for such centers, Putin said.
Martens also asked for help with establishing cooperation with the Russian regional administrations that have not yet entered talks with the Federal National and Cultural Autonomy of Russian Germans.
"We have a misunderstanding with the Kemerovo region, we have a serious misunderstanding with the Altai Territory. Unfortunately, they just don't hear what we propose. They would not negotiate with us," Martens said.
"What we do is in Russia's interests and not in the interests of certain nations and individual citizens. We would ask for help with establishing normal, constructive cooperation with the administration of both Russian regions," Martens said.
