Yurmala annually hosts similar conferences gathering well-known politicians, political analysts, scientists, and businessmen from Russia, the Baltic states, Scandinavia and the US.
The Russian-Latvian cooperation after the EU enlargement is a key issue at the today's conference.
Representatives of the Latvian government, Vice Premier Ainars Slesers, Minister of Economy Juris Lujans, Minister of Regional Development and Local Government Affairs Andrejs Radzevics, Minister for European Integration Nils Muiznieks, President of the Latvian Central Bank Ilmars Rimsevics and former Prime Minister Andris Berzins participate in the conference.
Well-known US political analyst Dmitri Simes, representatives of Great Britain, Poland, Belarus and other countries are expected to arrive in Yurmala.
The Russian delegation includes State Duma deputies, the President's staffers and heads of the Gazprom, Russian Railways and RAO UES companies. Mikhail Margelov, Andrei Kokoshin, Irina Khakamada and Igor Yurgens are expected to deliver reports. Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov is to open the second day of the conference.
Moreover, Moscow's Days opened in the Latvian capital today, to last until May 30. Yuri Luzhkov will participate in this event, as well.
He is to meet with his Riga counterpart Gundar Bojars and Latvian Prime Minister Indulis Emsis.
Today Mr. Luzhkov took part in the opening of the Moscow House cultural and business center. He presented Moscow's investment projects at the scientific-practical conference in the new center.
The Moscow House will also host the Days of Russian Cuisine, a book exhibition , an exposition of Latvian artists from the collection of the Tretyakov Gallery and a photo exposition "Moscow. The Portrait of the Capital." An exhibition "Old Moscow, a Look into the Past" is held in St. Peter's Church in Riga. The program of the Days includes concerts by Moscow's Virtuosos orchestra and Oleg Lundstrem's jazz band and an exhibition "Moscow's Modern Architecture".
On Saturday Yuri Luzhkov will participate in the tennis tournament of the teams of the Moscow government, the Riga Duma and the President Club. In addition, he will visit a building site in Imanta, Riga's district. Moscow Mayor will get acquainted with a new truck designed by the ZIL (Russia) and Ferrus (Latvia) plants. After that, he will meet with compatriots living in Riga, veterans of the Great Patriotic War and scholars of Moscow Mayor.
