OREANDA-NEWS. May 18, 2011. Head of Karelia Andrei Nelidov has held a meeting with Olli Perheentupa, the Consul General of Finland in Saint Petersburg. Anna-Kaisa Heikkinen, Consul of the Petrozavodsk Office of the Consulate General of Finland, and Kari Karjalainen, mayor of Joensuu, sister-city of Petrozavodsk, have also taken part in the meting.

Although the visit of the Consul General to our republic is timed to the Days of Finland and Weeks of Nordic Countries held in Petrozavodsk, matters at the conversation concerned cooperation between Karelia and Suomi in the most different spheres.

– It is not our first meeting, and it indicates that relations between Karelia and Finland develop in a proper mainstream, – Andrey Nelidov has told during the conversation. – As our territories are neighbouring, citizens of Karelia and Finland more often happen to visit each other, and they want to receive more information and have more contacts with each other. The fact that our meeting is held during the Days of Finland in Petrozavodsk is a good sign for our cooperation.

Andrei Nelidov has told the visitors about social programs being currently implemented within the territory of the republic, and has suggested to take part in them. He has also rated high the work of the Petrozavodsk Office of the Consulate General of Finland.

As Olli Perheentupa has pointed out, the new government is being formed in Finland now after the election, and many of new ministers are likely to want to visit the near-border Karelia to search for new forms of cooperation. In the opinion of the Consul General, construction and energy saving could be considered for new spheres of cooperation. The Finnish party was interested in the changes occuring in the building market of Karelia, as well as in the activity of the Government of the republic concerning reduction in price of housing for the population. According to Olli Perheentupa, Finnish building companies could be interested to take part in the corresponding programs implemented in Karelia.

Another sphere for joint activity may become construction of treatment facilities in which Finnish companies have gained broad experience. Olli Perheentupa has cited an example of cooperation with St.-Petersburg where the task of water treatment is performed successfully by joint efforts. The parties have also discussed prospects of development of the border and customs infrastructure on both sides of the border, and have also informed each other on plans of perfection of the road network in frontier territories.

According to Olli Perheentupa, among all subjects of Russia Karelia has the greatest interest to Finnish culture and Finnish language. In this sphere, in the opinion of the Consul General, it is also possible to find new forms of cooperation.

Andrei Nelidov has supported offers of the Finnish party, having noted that the Government of Karelia is attaching great importance to preservation of national cultures. Contacts may be expanded, in the opinion of the Head of Karelia, through conducting joint sports competitions. Andrei Nelidov has reminded, that cross-country motorcycle races revive in Karelia, and this kind of sports is also very popular in Finland. The agreement that Finnish racers will take part in the stage of the Cup of the Head of Karelia in autumn was already reached. Karelian and Finnish fishermen could take part in joint competitions, as such competitions are quite popular in both countries.

– The dialogue of the two peoples creates conditions for subsequent projects, – Andrei Nelidov has pointed out. – In turn, it strengthens cross-border cooperattion, and a true friendship grows from such communication.

Informal dialogue of citizens of the two countries held within the framework of the Days of Finland in Petrozavodsk will proceed. Their participants will take part in a business seminar, lectures on history of Finland and ecology, festivals of literature and music, concerts and a festival of retro-movies of Finland.