Activity of Russian-French intergovernmental mechanisms being gradually restored - Deputy PM Prikhodko
MOSCOW. March 17 (Interfax) - Moscow has been observing the gradual restoration of the activity of Russian-French intergovernmental mechanisms, although bilateral trade turnover dipped 35% in 2015, the Russian government has said.
"France is our major partner in Europe. Russian-French relations have very deep historical roots. Trade and economic relations are diverse and embrace high-tech industries, including space exploration, atomic energy, instrument engineering, civil aviation and many other spheres," Russian Deputy Prime Minister, Head of the Government Administration Sergei Prikhodko told reporters before his trip to Paris.
Domes will be erected on the cathedral of the Russian Orthodox religious and cultural center in Paris on March 19, and a Russian delegation will attend the ceremony.
"Bilateral trade turnover shrank in 2015 for a number of reasons related to the global situation and the impact from special economic measures. It reduced by more than 35% from 2014," the deputy prime minister said.
Russian exports dipped by 24% and imports fell 45%. "Russia believes nevertheless that the activity of bilateral intergovernmental mechanisms has been gradually normalizing," Prikhodko said.
Humanitarian cooperation between Moscow and Paris has been actively developing, and Russian and French higher education establishments have over 400 student exchange agreements which annually involve over 2,000 students.