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Two Russia's Arctic regions sign agreement on scientific-technical cooperation

ARKHANGELSK, March 31. /TASS/. The Arkhangelsk and Tomsk regions signed a cooperation agreement in science and innovations. The signing was at the Arctic: Territory of Dialogue forum, which worked in Arkhangelsk on March 29-30.

The regions will develop cooperation in mining, construction, information technologies and communications means, in the Arctic research, healthcare, environment, meteorology and robotics.

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Putin urges to preserve Arctic as territory of dialogue

"As for various equipment, systems, technologies for the Arctic - it is very special, and without tests in realistic conditions they will not have the right to real life," Tomsk’s Deputy Governor on scientific, educational and innovative policies Mikhail Sonkin told TASS on Friday. "If we have a meteorology station - where should it be tested? At a real meteorology facility, where it should be installed, and where real specialists can say how that equipment behaved in real conditions. A similar approach is to automatic or data-transmitting system for distanced areas."

Under the agreement, the regions will have joint scientific research programs and projects to design and develop technologies, to organize joint laboratories, to exchange information and experts.

The Arctic: Territory of Dialogue Forum is a key international platform for discussing problems and future of the Arctic area at the global level. The forum is supported by the Russian government and its objective is to unite efforts of the international community for effective development of the Arctic and for higher living standards for the people living there.

The first forum took place in 2010 and was devoted to modern problems of the Arctic region. The second forum in 2011 focused on formation of the Arctic transport systems, and the event in 2013 touched upon environmental safety. This year, the event’s key topic was "People and the Arctic." The forum’s organizer is the Roscongress Foundation. The Fourth Forum took place in Arkhangelsk on March 29-30. TASS was the event’s general information sponsor. Next forum is due in Arkhangelsk in 2019.

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