MOSCOW, August 28. /TASS/. Members of the Russian Federation Council (upper house of parliament) are expecting the soonest revival of the Russian-French interparliamentary commission, and expect economic cooperation between both countries to strengthen, Head of the Russian Federation Council’s Committee on Economic Policy Dmitry Mezentsev stated during a meeting with Head of the French Senate’s Committee on Economic Affairs Sophie Primas.
"We want your visit to provide a boost for activating our relations, comparing our positions and forming a united agenda of interparliamentary cooperation. We expect the soonest revival of the large Russian-French interparliamentary commission," Mezentsev said.
He added that trade relations between Russia and France are going through a different period because of sanctions. "Of course, we believe that in time, when the sanctions regime is over, we will restart the relations system with our French colleagues on a new, higher level," the senator stated.
For her part, Prima commented on the current situation in the relations between Russia and France. "We regret the difficulties currently present in our relations." "You said that lifting economic sanctions will improve our economic relations, but we are not only here for that, we are here to understand how Russian investments into the French economy can help improve these relations," the French senator said.
Mezentsev replied that Russia is valuing the total volume of Russian investments into the French economy to the sum slightly over $3 bln. "This isn’t a lot," the senator concluded.