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On August 5 Prime Minister of the Government of Karelia Pavel Chernov met with the Minister of Transport of Finland Anu Vehviläjnen. Matters at the meeting concerned development of transport infrastructure on the Karelian site of the Russian-Finnish border were discussed. Consul General of Finland in St.-Petersburg Olli Perheentupa, Director General of Road Administration of Finland Jukka Hirvelä, Director of Track Administration of Finland Kari Ruohonen, head of the regional union of communes of North Carelia Pentti Hyttinen, as well as representatives of Oktyabrskaya railway, Ministry of Economic Development of the Republic of Karelia, other interested departments and organizations participated in the discussion.
The key purpose of the meeting held under the initiative of the Finnish party was coordination of positions on a number of important joint initiatives. In particular, both Karelia, and Finland are interested in expansion of throughput of Petrozavodsk-Murmansk railroad line and in construction of Konosha-Medgora railway for development of Pudozh and Aganozersky deposits of iron ore with subsequent processing of a part of raw material on metal works in Finland. Also actual for both parties is creation of the Belkomur railway corridor which is a part of the projected Barents-link cargo corridor called to connect Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Urals with prospect of continuation to the border with China. Besides, it was recognized necessary to solve the problem on reconstruction of Wärtsilä and Kivijärvi railway check points.
Participants of the meeting also discussed opportunities of programs operating within the scope of cooperation between Russia and the European union. Now financing stipulated by these programs for the nearest years is estimated in tens millions of euros. It is enough to conduct research and design works and implement small investment projects, but there is not enough for large-scale development of transport network. Both Finland, and Karelia intend to work in common to change this situation.
Also Consul General of Finland in St.-Petersburg Olli Perheentupa has informed, that existing delays with registration of visas in Petrozavodsk consulate will be eliminated in the most short terms. For this purpose in the near future with assistance of the Government of Karelia the consulate will receive new premise in the capital of the republic. Also the Finnish party considers it necessary to facilitate crossing the Russian-Finnish border for passengers and cargoes by prolongation of business hours of check points, reduction of time of official registration of papers, accelerated introduction of electronic customs registration and transformation of some temporary check points into permanent ones.
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