Russia aspires to host EXPO-2010 Exhibition

Moscow treats other candidates for hosting the World EXPO-2010 Exhibition with respect, but hopes to obtain the right to host the event in honest rivalry. Such a statement was made by Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov at a Wednesday meeting with a delegation of the International Bureau of Exhibitions (IBE), which estimates Moscow's potential to hold EXPO-2010. "We hope that Russia will adequately hold EXPO in 2010, if the IBE makes such a decision," Igor Ivanov stressed. The decision on the venue of the exhibition will be made in December 2002. Russia's rivals are China, South Korea, Mexico, Poland, and Argentina. In May 2000, the Moscow mayor and management of the All-Russian Exhibition Centre (VVTs, Russian acronym) turned to President of Russia Vladimir Putin with an initiative to hold the World universal exhibition in Moscow on the VVTs territory in May-October 2010. In December 2000, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced Russia's intention to file a bid for registration of EXPO-2010 at the session of the IBE General Assembly. Currently, 87 countries are the IBE members. Over the 150-year-old history of world exhibitions there were 46 of them. According to preliminary estimates, 160-180 countries and international organisations would take part in the 2010 exhibition. It would be attended by 25-30 million visitors. © &to=http://www.rian.ru' target=_blank>RIAN