French President to Open Voltaire Library in St. Petersburg

French President Jacques Chirac will open the European Centre of the Age of Enlightenment - the Voltaire Library in the Russian National Library. As a Rosbalt correspondent reports, this was announced at a press conference in Saint Petersburg on Friday by writer Marek Halter, France's representative for the city's anniversary. He also said that Mr Chirac would take part in the opening of the Tower of Peace on Sennaya Ploschad.

Mr Halter also spoke about other French projects for the anniversary. It is expected that French events will be held throughout 2003. Of particular interest will be a demonstration of aerobatics by French pilots. No exact date has yet been set for this event although veterans of the French regiment Normandy-Neman who fought in Russia during the Second World War are expected to attend. There will also be a night of French rock music in Saint Petersburg during the night of July 13-14. In September there will be an economic forum Russia-France-Europe and in October the exhibition 300 Years of France in Saint Petersburg will open in the Marble Palace.