"In 2005 Russia will be an honorary guest at the show and we shall use this possibility for overall presentation of our country," Former Deputy Press, Information and Mass Communications Minister Vladimir Grigoryev told RIA Novosti.
According to him, Russia pins great hopes for the forthcoming fair. Russian experts are disposed to "a serious professional discussion involving Russian and French book publishers and sellers".
The number of books published in Russia has grown twice over the last five years, Mr. Grigoryev said. Thus, book publishing has become one of the most rapidly developing branches in Russia.
Russia is to present about 40 authors at the fair, including well-known writers, whose works were already translated into French, and young talented writers, still unknown to French readers, Vladimir Grigoryev noted.
"Russian and French intellectuals have many issues to discuss and we expect the fair to promote Russia's rapprochement with its European partners," Grigoryev said.
The book fair attracts both professionals and ordinary people. According to head of the French Publishers' Association Serge Eyrolles, in spite of strict security measures, over 150,000 people visited the book fair this year.
