Rustam Minnikhanov: Russia's WTO entry to create new conditions and opportunities for cooperation with APEC countries

Holding of events within the framework of APEC meeting in Kazan is a good chance for participants representing APEC countries to get acquainted with other Russian regions besides the Far East, President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov said at a session of APEC trade ministers in Kazan (the Kazan tennis academy).

First Vice Chairman of the RF Government Igor Shuvalov who is on a working trip in Kazan attended the event.

Rustam Minnikhanov reminded that more than 30 events were held during the last two weeks within the framework of APEC forum in Kazan.

“Countries of the Asia-Pacific region are the most rapidly developing in the world. Cooperation with these countries and mutually beneficial foreign-trade activity are priority tasks for the economy of Tatarstan as a Russian region,” the Tatarstan President said.

According to Rustam Minnikhanov, Tatarstan has got experience of cooperating with APEC countries and foreign partners in general. It is proved by realization of such major projects in petrochemistry as JSC TANECO (USA, Japan, Korea, Canada), JSC Ammony (Japan, China), IT projects, - Innopolis-Kazan (Singapore), and international project in the sphere of mechanical engineering “Ford-Sollers”.

Rustam Minnikhanov reminded that helicopters Mi-17 (JSC Kazan helicopters), KAMAZ trucks, produce of shipbuilding enterprises located in Tatarstan are well-known in APEC countries. He believes that Russia’s WTO entry will create new conditions and opportunities for cooperation with APEC countries, and holding of events within the framework of APEC forum in Kazan will give impetus to further cooperation of Russia and its subjects with APEC countries.

Rustam Minnikhanov invited representatives of APEC countries for cooperation saying that Tatarstan offers favorable conditions for investors. Moreover, he told about social and economic development of Tatarstan, its cultural features, historical and architectural monuments located in republic.