Program on corporation between Skopje and Moscow

Macedonian Information Agency (Dec 12, 2002, 2:58:12 AM (GMT+01:00)) (MIA)  SKOPJE, Macedonia - Skopje and Moscow Mayors Risto Penov and Yuri Luzhkov signed Wednesday in Skopje the Program on Cooperation for the period 2003 - 2006.

The program's priorities are exchange of experience in different areas - city's management and economy, culture and art, physical education, sport and tourism, health and education, science and industrial policy, architecture and civil engineering as well as visit of delegations and specialists in city economy and local government at least once a year.

The first step in realizing the Program is the agreement to open shopping centers in Moscow and Skopje for easier access on the markets in these two cities.

"The program opens the doors for easier entrance of the Macedonian economy in Moscow," Penov said, adding that they also discussed the direct involvement of the Macedonian construction companies in Moscow.

Luzhkov said that it was important to build bridges between the two cities, to develop the retail economy, the cultural cooperation and to continue the distribution of medicines from Macedonia to Moscow. In the field of education, it was agreed certain number of Macedonian students to study at the universities in Moscow. Also, books and teachers in Russian language will be provided if there is interest for studying the Russian language in Macedonia.

"Everything that is promised, will be realized," Luzhkov said.

At their meeting today, Macedonian Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski and Luzhkov expressed satisfaction with the bilateral cooperation between the two countries, and two cities.

Luzhkov welcomed the steps undertaken by the Macedonian Government in order to stabilize the situation in the country, both on economic and security plan.

It was stressed at the meeting that the development of entrepreneurship in Skopje and Moscow would give good results and would be very important for intensifying the mutual economic cooperation.

The officials also noted that the establishment of economic-trade relations between the two cities would be supported by the Macedonian and Russian Governments.

Both countries are ready to strengthen the cooperation in the field of culture and education.

The Russian part expressed interest to offer scholarships to the Macedonian students, which are interested in studying at the Russian Universities, reads the press release from the Premier's Cabinet.

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