French Economic Minister Russia-France economic contacts lag behind political ones

The level of economic contacts between Russia and France is lagging behind political, French Economic, Finance and Industrial Minister Francis Mer has said in Paris. He was opening the traditional Russian Encounters of the French business circles.

At the Russian Encounters, organized by the French Foreign Trade Center with the involvement of the French embassy and trade representation in Moscow, managers of large French banks, companies and corporations, representatives of medium-scale and big business discuss problems of and prospects for cooperation with Russia.

Taking the floor, Paul Hunsinger, head of the French trade-economic mission in Moscow, said that the present-day economic set-up in Russia is favorable for work of foreign companies. Hunsinger invited French businessmen to follow the example of their German, Italian, American competitors and more actively get rooted on the Russian market, vast in size and prospects.

During two days, participants in the Russian Encounters will consider the basic parameters, state and an outlook for development of the Russian market, exchange work experience with account for the legislative, tax and other requirements put to foreign and mixed companies in Russia.

France is now Russia's seventh foreign partner in trade turnover and sixth in the volume of investments.