MOSCOW, April 9. /TASS/. The Russian government will maintain the cooperation with the West on the International Space Station (ISS) project despite current political tensions, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich said on Thursday opening a conference on scientific researches and experiments aboard the ISS.
"During the period of an uneasy geopolitical standoff, the partnership both with European and American colleagues is continuing. Everyone understands the importance of such work and such cooperation despite the short-term political processes happening in the world," Dvorkovich said.
Russia will increase the support for works aboard the ISS and "try not to cut but to enhance the resource base for such work and such cooperation," Dvorkovich told the conference.
He noted that scientific researches and experiments aboard the station are useful not only for fundamental space researches, but also for practical application, namely in medicine.
Besides, the work aboard the ISS allows preparation for possible future interplanetary voyages, Dvorkovich stressed.
Denis Lyskov, a deputy chief of Roscosmos, reminded that the federal space agency has proposed extending operations of the ISS. "This is a unique project and we believe that its possibilities and resources have not been exhausted. And we can carry out many more researches and experiments aboard the station," he stressed.
The first conference on researches and experiments aboard the ISS took place eight years ago, Lyskov reminded, adding that a decision could be taken on holding such events in Moscow on an annual basis.