Kasyanov To Negotiate Russia's Participation In Privatization In Czech Republic

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov will negotiate a possible participation of Russian companies in the privatization of state enterprises in Czech Republic. These negotiations will be held in Prague today. The governmental staff reported that Kasyanov and Czech officials will consider, in particular, the privatization of such enterprises as Yunipetro, Transgas and Scoda-Nuclear Machine Building. In addition, participants of the negotiations will discuss the development of regional cooperation between Czech Republic and Russian cities and regions, such as St. Petersburg, Orenburg, Bashkiria, Omsk. Kamchatka, Ural and others. According to data from the Russian Ministry for Economic Development and Trade, the volume of trade between Russia and Czech Republic amounted to 4 per cent in the total volume of Russia's foreign trade in 2000. At the same time, the volume of trade between the two countries went up 55 per cent as compared to 1999 and reached $2.5bn.