OREANDA-NEWS. On July, 8 Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation and Chairman of the State Commission for preparation for the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the republic Nikolai Patrushev has held a meeting in Petrozavodsk on development of centers of culture and tourism in Karelia.

According to Nikolai Patrushev, the sphere of culture in line with Russia's national security strategy is classified as a national priority. It is especially important to Karelia as Russia's border area.

- Within the scope of activity of the State Commission for preparation for the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Karelia the essential task of establishing a cultural center in every municipal entity has been set, - Nikolai Patrushev has told.

Establishing of multifunctional cultural centers will be financed both from the federal budget, and at the expense of extra-budgetary resources, and tourist component should be taken into account as much as possible in the process of creation. It is necessary to make operation of these centers-to be self-financing. Nikolai Patrushev has told that the object is building a full-fledged tourist recreational, cultural and ethnographical cluster corresponding to Russian standards in territory of Karelia.

Deputy Head of the Federal Tourism Agency Nikolai Korolyov has also taken part in the meeting in Petrozavodsk. In his opinion, none of the constituent territories of Russia has such extraordinary tourist prospects as Karelia. Lots of lakes and rivers, interesting border location make a good combination with relative proximity to large cities of Moscow and St.Petersburg.

- Karelia may be one of the most perspective regions of Russia in the context of tourism development. The Government of the republic does its best to make full use of these opportunities, - representative of the Federal Tourism Agency has told.

Nikolai Korolyov has added that comparing to other territories of Russia Karelia has already succeeded in attracting tourists. 1,9 million tourists have visited the republic last year, while in similar regions this parameter makes about several hundreds. To increase the number of tourists the republic has to develop air transportation and high-speed train services, to attract tourists from aboard.

- If we use all possible opportunities then, I suppose the tourist flow will grow twice as much, - Nikolai Korolyov has stated his view.

Vladimir Bulavin, Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Northwestern Federal District, has also taken part in the meeting. In his opinion, all northwestern regions will benefit from joining efforts to attract tourists:

- Karelia may not be singled out from the Northwestern Federal District, neither from the country. We had an opportunity to visit Kizhi and Solovki, we could also go to Valaam. In the context of history of our country of special interest are towns of Novgorod, Staraya Ladoga, Pskov, and of course the city of St.Petersburg as a cultural capital of out state. Having welded it together in a single concept we might have built tourist logistics in the northwest as a whole, - Vladimir Bulavin has told.

It should be mentioned that similar projects are already under consideration within the scope of cooperation between Karelia and neighbouring regions. The same day Petrozavodsk has become a venue for the ceremony of signing the Agreement on cooperation between the Government of Karelia and the Government of Leningrad Region. Silver Necklace is one of the announced projects that concerns organization of trips to ancient towns of Leningrad Region and Karelia, as well as to Pskov, Novgorod and St.Petersburg.