International Political Forum Taking Place in Perm

An international three-day forum opened today in Perm. As a Rosbalt correspondent was informed by the press office of the governor of the Perm Region, the forum will feature Russian and Western politicians and political scientists who will discuss the most pressing current political issues in Russia and abroad. This forum is expected to be similar to the International Economic Forum in Davos.

Taking part at the forum are US Ambassador to Russia Alexander Vershbow, Head of the EC Delegation to Russia Richard Wright, Dutch Ambassador to Russia Tiddo Pieter Hofstee and a representative of the British embassy in Russia. The forum is also being attended by Professor of Russian History at Harvard University Richard Pipes and Russian Duma Deputies Vladimir Rizhkov and Boris Nemtsov. There are political representatives of more than 30 Russian regions and other countries taking part in total.

On February 28 there will be a conference entitled Liberalism in Russia which will be dedicated to Peter Struve and Mikhail Osorgin. The forum is part of a regional socio-political programme and is being held for the first time. There are plans to make it an annual event.