Putin Greets Participants and Guests of the 6th Russian Economic Forum in London - 3 April, 2003

Vladimir Putin has sent a message of greetings to the participants and guests of the Sixth Russian Economic Forum which opened in London on Thursday, RIA Novosti was told in the press service of the Russian President.

The message says in part: "The organisation of the Russian Economic Forum has become a good tradition and perfectly fits the structure of today's relations between Russia and Great Britain.

"Six years ago, when the forum was being initiated, the Russian and the British business quarters were only sizing up each other. Today we stand on the threshold of a qualitatively new stage of bilateral economic co-operation. The decisions of major British companies, both only recently adopted and those, which are already in the last stage of elaboration, provide for multi-million investments in the fuel and energy sector of Russia. This shows the general sentiments of the British business and at the same time is a good signal to other potential investors.

"We hope that the Sixth Russian Economic Forum will make its contribution to further consolidation and development of positive tendencies in bilateral trade and economic contacts, will contribute to the realisation of new useful initiatives.

"I wish the forum participants not to lose the achieved tempo, to multiply the rich experience of co-operation between Russia and Great Britain for the good of the peoples of both countries."