"The job [to arrange Russian-German links] takes concentrated efforts. It is future-oriented, and we see investment and industrial cooperation among partnership forms," he said to the media after conference with Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, whom the Premier thanked for personal contribution to bilateral contacts.
There is also a strategic ad hoc team to regard Russian-German partnership, added Mr. Fradkov, who highly appreciates its performance.
"Great success," Herr Schroeder summed up today's Stuttgart business conference-suffice it to mention that it had gathered more than 500 German delegates eager for closer ties with Russia.
The Chancellor pointed out dynamic commercial progress. The first half-year 2004 alone raised the bilateral trade turnover by 16 per cent, and German exports to Russia by 25 per cent. The rise makes him enthusiastic, what with the German economy closely depending on exports. "We are interested in our economic contacts with Russia making good progress," said Gerhard Schroeder.
