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Russia-Macedonia commission meets in Skopje Thurs to discuss cooperation

The 7th session of the Russia-Macedonia Intergovernmental Commission for trade-and-economic, scientific and technical cooperation opens on Thursday

SKOPJE, October 24 (Itar-Tass). — The state and prospects for the development of trade-and-economic relations between Russia and the Republic of Macedonia (RM) will be discussed here on Thursday within the framework of the 7th session of the Russia-Macedonia Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) for trade-and-economic, scientific and technical cooperation by Maxim Travnikov, Russia’s Deputy Minister of Justice and chairman of the Russian side of the IGC, and Zoran Stavreski, RM Vice-Premier and Minister of Finance, who chairs the Macedonian side of the IGC.

According to the Macedonia-Russia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, bilateral trade volume in the first half of this year ran at about $150 million, with the share of Macedonia's import equated to $15 million. For comparison, the aggregate indicator of the exchange of commodities between Russia and Macedonia in the period from January to April 2012 was recorded to be at the $185 million mark.

At the IGC session, the sides are expected to exchange data concerning the economic development of Russia and Macedonia, as well as information on measures being taken by the governments of the two countries to ensure economic stability. In so doing, Maxim Travnikov and Zoran Stavreski intend to focus on the state of and prospects for reciprocal trade.

Those present at the IGC session are also to discuss matters concerning the development of the present-day economic situation, including that from the viewpoint of further advancement of bilateral trade-and-economic cooperation in energy, industry, at the level of regions, transport and tourism sectors, and in the fields of agriculture, education, and science.

At the close of the IGC session, the results of which will be announced on October 25, it is planned to sign a bilateral Memorandum on Cooperation for Modernization.

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