Head of the Russian delegation deputy chairman of the upper house Dmitry Mezentsev told RIA Novosti, "The trip allowed us to write new pages in the book of parliamentary relations."
According to Mezentsev, the trip has revealed that "current ties between St. Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, Irkutsk region, and French regions need support and development. They could become a model of efficient relations between constituent regions of the Russian Federation with cities and regions of France."
Deputy chairman of the upper house said he was sure that participation of representatives from French regions in the coming Third Baikal Economic Forum in the East Siberian city of Irkutsk "will give a qualitative impetus to many international tourist programs and better understanding between businesses."
Save federal legislators, the Russian delegation included representatives from Tatarstan, St. Petersburg, and Irkutsk, Kaluga, Nizhny Novgorod, Rostov [on-Don], and Samara regions.
French Senate President Christian Poncelet met with the Russian delegates. The Russians also talked to many French officials and businessmen and visited the French regions of Champagne-Ardennes and Aquitaine.
