|
 |
|
|
In accordance with the Agreement of the Fundamental Principles of the Relationships
between Russia and Finland from 20.01.92 and the Agreement of the Boundary Cooperation
between Russia and Finland from 20.01.92 the working groups on the boundary cooperation have been organized by June 1992. From Russian side four regions of Russia - St.Petersburg, the Leningrad region,
the Republic of Karelia, Murmansk region take part in it. Until 1996 the Finnish side was presented by the provinces ajoining to the border line. Last autumn in connection with the newly accepted by the Finnish Government Strategy of Cooperation with the ajoining territories the Finnish participating groups underwent some changes. Now they consist only of the representatives of Ministeries and the governers are experts. The representatives from the Russian side have been the same since 1994.
The Co-chairmen of the group are the Vice-Director of the Department of the Ministry of Foreign Relations of Finland K. Yamsen and the Minister of Foreign Relations of the Republic of Karelia
V. Shlyamin.
The main goals of the boundary cooperation are achievement of mutual understanding on the sub-regional level, promotion of the contacts between antreperneurs, inelligensia, representatives of culture, science, youth; decreasing the differences in life level on both sides of the border line.
In the Republic of Karelia more than 300 projects have been realized and are being realized now for six and a half years of collaboration. The priority trends are as follows: agriculture (15 projects), ecology
(13 projects), public health and welfare (3 projects). Some of the projects are being carried out in the area of energetics, transport, industry, government.
As a rule it includes the collaboration in the spheres of new technologies, experience, technical assistance. For example one can enumerate some of successful investment projects: construction of purification system in Lahdenpohya (cost about 5 million Finnish marks), installation and maintaining of machine stations in Karelia (cost more 4 million Finnish marks), construction of milc plant in Essoyla
(cost 1,2 million Finnish marks).
On the 6th of October in Helsinky the Treaty on the development of trade-economic cooperation
and technical assistance was signed between the Government of RK and MIA of Finland. It serves as the base for the permanent work for selection the projects and as a tool for coordination the boundary relationships.
But the Finnish side suggested to consider this treaty the document of second importance and instead of it the Program of Boundary Collaboration up to 2000 have been prepared. It covers all the fields of interactions and serves as the base for the development of two-side contacts for the nearest three years. The Program was corrected in the light of the changes that have taken place in boundary collaboration
after Finland had been integrated into EU, the priorities and perspectives of collaboration were more distinctly formulated.
As a result of Finnish intergration in 1995 into European Union (EU) a land border line between Russia and EU has been formed and the longest part of it - more than 700 km falls on Karelia. It opens new horizons for further development of collaboration with Finland and for the wider contacts with European countries. The common border line gives new possibilies for funding projects, especially in the framworks of the programs "Interreg" and "TACIS". Coordination of these programs is one of the most important goals in the Karelian-Finnish group activities.
25-26 of February 1998 the seminar was held in Petrozavodsk. From the Finnish side the representatives of the Kainuu, North Karelia, North Pohyanmaa communities took part
and from the Karelian side - Ministries and region representetatives.
As a result the Memorandum was signed, in which the wish for close collaboration was highlighted the wish for close collaboration on the programs "Interreg-Karelia" and "TACIS", the priorities of the interaction were stated.
The first steps in Karelian-Finnish contacts oriented for EU programs showed the promising collaboration and the high effect of cooperation. The best example here is the project "Construction of purification systems in Sortavala", in the frameworks of which 10,2 mln Fn mk are supposed to be put into reconsraction and 1,8 mln Fn mk - for staff training.
The"transparency" of the border line is considered to be of great importance. As a result of activities of many Russian Ministries and the Republic of Karelia an International check in points in Vyartsila and Lyuttya were opened in 1995 and 1997 respectively.
The direct bus rout between Petrozavodsk, The direct bus route between Petrozavodsk - Yoensuu,
Sortavala - Yoensuu, Kuhmo - Kostomuksha have been established since 1993.
In 1994 the avialine between Petrozavodsk and Helsinki was opened.
The "Finnair" company increased the number of flights up to 5 per week and gave more comfortable airplane for the flight.
In 1996 the first experimental train trip was made by the train Petrozavodsk - Yoensuu.
Now the attemts are being made to establish a regular train route.
| 
