OREANDA-NEWS. After the summit conference with the Prime Minister and State Secretary of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy of Finland the visit of Head of Karelia Alexander Khudilainen to Helsinki continued with the talks with representatives of large Finnish companies.

Valery Shlyamin, Trade Representative of the Russian Federation in Finland, and Valentin Chmil, Deputy Head of the Republic of Karelia and Minister of Economic Development of the Republic of Karelia, also took part in the talks.

Alexander Khudilainen's first meeting was negotiations with Rainer Haggblom, Chairman of Advisory Board of JPD Capital Ltd., held in the Trade Representation of the Russian Federation in Finland.

JPD Capital Ltd is a private investment company. Its experts are involved in advisory assignments concerning financial transactions on conversion of enterprises in forest industry. During the past 20 years nearly all of the forest & paper industry's major transactions and advisory assignments in Finland and in Europe were backed by the company's experts.

Matters at the meeting, in particular, concerned the offer of the company on possible participation of its experts in technological audit at the pulp mill in Pitkaranta and Kondopoga Inc. with the purpose of the subsequent mobilization of investments in development of enterprises.

The second meeting was negotiations with the Group of Finnish Advisors at the Government of St.Petersburg. Presidents, vice-presidents and directors of 10 leading Finnish companies have taken part in the meeting.

The Group of Finnish Advisors at the Government of St.Petersburg was established in 1997, it includes heads of many famous Finnish enterprises conducting their business in our country. The primary intent of activity of the Group of Finnish Advisors is assistance to creation of favorable investment climate in Russia.

At a meeting heads of Finnish companies have made presentations of the enterprises. In turn, Alexander Khudilainen has told about the new economic policy pursued by the Government of the region and focused on creation of favorable conditions for investment to Karelia, as well as about the adopted Concept of Social and Economic Development of republic through 2017. Head of Karelia has suggested the Finnish investors to take part in implementation of investment and economic sections of the Concept.

In his statement Minister of Economic Development of the republic Valentin Chmil has reminded that the bill on the state support of investment activity was adopted in the republic at the second reading, and has also pointed out the opportunities of implementation of investment projects in Karelia.

During the talks heads of Finnish companies have stated their high opinion of efforts of the Government of Karelia on development of economy of the region. In particular, they observed that many regulations of the law on support of investment activity adopted in Karelia are unique for regions of Russia as a whole.

After negotiations with the Group of Finnish Advisors at the Government of St.Petersburg Trade Representative of the Russian Federation in Finland Valery Shlyamin has commented upon its results:

– The meeting Head of the Republic of Karelia had today with representatives of large business within the Group of Finnish Advisors at the Government of St.Petersburg and simultaneously with representatives of small and medium business recently included in this group was extremely interesting and important. Companies within the Group of Finnish Advisors at the Government of St.Petersburg in recent years have invested about 8 billion euros in the economy of the Russian Federation. Such attention to the Republic of Karelia is not casual, for a long time there was no opportunity to conduct a direct dialogue between Head of the Republic of Karelia and large Finnish business. And now it has happened.

According to Valery Shlyamin, one of the initiatives proposed at the meeting concerned preparation and subsequent representation of the general vision of Karelia's development through 2030 to European and global investors in view of projects which the republic intends to implement in foreseeable prospect in forestry, mining, tourism and other branches.

– The conversation was quite substantial. Head of the republic has presented his point of view of cooperation with Finland, has shared results of the meeting with Prime Minister Mr.Katainen, each of representatives of the Finnish party has stated his point of view on development of cooperation. When the meeting was over, the parties have expressed their wish to meet once again, and make such meetings traditional. It is very important to interest large businessmen, people with many business interests, with the Republic of Karelia, – Valery Shlyamin pointed out.

The working visit of Head of Karelia to Finland continues.