Russia drops bid for hosting EXPO 2030 in Moscow - Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW. May 23 (Interfax) - Russia has dropped its bid for hosting EXPO 2030 in Moscow, as it cannot count on fair competition under the current circumstances, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

"Obviously, Moscow's bid for hosting EXPO 2030 cannot count on a fair and impartial assessment in competition with the other four candidates, no matter what indisputable advantages it might have," the ministry said in a statement on Monday.

Hence, "the Russian Federation has decided in principle to voluntarily withdraw Moscow's bid for hosting EXPO 2030," the ministry said. According to the ministry, the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) was duly notified on May 23.

"We want to believe that in the foreseeable future the global exhibition movement will return to its historical roots and resume non-political, strictly applied activities. Hopefully, conditions necessary for Russia's participation in the equal race for hosting EXPO will eventually emerge," the ministry said.