WASHINGTON, June 12. /TASS/. A group of members of New York State Assembly will visit Moscow, St. Petersburg and Tatarstan in September in order to establish ties with Russian colleagues in those regions, Chief of staff of an Assembly member Anton Konev said Sunday.
"Senators and assemblymen, members of both chambers of New York State are going to St. Petersburg, Moscow and the Republic of Tatarstan, from September 13 to September 21," Konev said.
Earlier the legislators received an invitation from head of Tatarstan's State Council, Farid Mukhamedshin.
"Mr. Mukhamedshin visited us in 2010, in 2011 there was a delegation as well, though, unfortunately, from 2011 until present there have been no contacts," Konev said, adding that "now is the first time since 2011 that the relations are resumed at the regional level." The delegation consists of 26 persons, including members of factions of democrats, independent democrats, republicans, and representatives of non-governmental organizations.
"An agreement (memorandum of understanding) will be definitely signed with the Republic of Tatarstan," he said, adding that the plan is to sign similar papers with Moscow and St. Petersburg in the near future. Also, Konev said, "it would be great to establish contacts at all levels, regarding educational exchanges, business exchanges, tourist and cultural exchanges."
The delegation expects the trip to mark the beginning of a series of annual visits. "Those are the first three regions, but I think that they are not the only ones that New York State will be cooperating with," he said.