January February March April May June July August September October November December

12 - 16 of January

• The visit of Karelian delegation to the town of Luleo (Sweden) was prepared, where on the 19-20 of January the V Session of Barents Euro/Arctic region on the level of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs was held.
• Preliminary arrangements on participation of the Republic of Karelia in International Exhibition "Russia-Exlo 98"were set up. The exhibition will take place in London in May 1998 in the period of a meeting of the Presidents of "The Big Eight"

19 - 23 January

• The delegation of the representatives of state railroads and project organizations (Sweden) was received by the MFR RK (without budget expenditures). In the course of negotiations the arrangements were achieved about putting into practice the projects of transport communications between the Republic of Karelia and Sweden.
• 20.01.98 MFR RK took an active part in a meeting of the working group attached to the Head of the Government RK solving the problems of creating free economic zone (FEZ)in Kostomuksha As the result of the meeting the resolution of the Head of the Government RK was taken. " About the project of creation of FEZ in Kostomuksha".

26 - 30 January

• 26-27 of January the Minister of the Foreign Relations RK V.A. Shlyamin and the Chief of the Department of International Regional Cooperation D.V. Bazegsky participated in International Seminar "Soft border lines between the European Union (EU) and the Russian Federation ", held in Yoensuu (Finland). High rank representatives of EU, of the Finnish Government and experts from 6 European countries. The Minister of the Foreign Relations RK made a report where he shared the idea about the development of the model of the Russian-Finnish Euroregion , on the base of which it would be possible to develop the coordinated strategy of economic development of the boundary regions of Finland and Russia..
• 29 January a meeting of the Minister of Foreign Relations RK, the heads of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food-stuffs RK and also representatives of Finnish companies participating in realization of agriculture projects on the territory of the Karelian Republic was held. They summed up preliminary results of International cooperation in the area of agriculture in 1998 and worked out the perspectives of cooperation in this field for the period 1998-2000.
• 29-30 January the delegation of Swedish Agency on International Development (SID) was received by the MFR RK. The SID delegation came here on the invitation of the Head of the Government RK to study the project on the plant construction producing granulated biofuel. If the project is accepted the Republic of Karelia will gain funds from the Baltic fund to realize this project.

2 - 6 of February 1998

• On the instruction of the Head of the Government RK the visit of the delegation of the Development Program of the United Nations (DP UN) to the Republic of Karelia was prepared. It will take place on 8-11 of February of 1998. The goal of the visit is to create the Interdepartmental Working Group on the realization of the project of the stable development of the Barents Sea.
• The Commission of International Cooperation attached to the Head of the Government of the Republic of Karelia is created. (The Resolution of the Head of the Government RK N 54 from 30.01.98 г.)

9 - 13 of February 1998

• On the commission of the Head of the Government RK the Minister of the Foreign Relations V.A. Shlyamin was on business trip to Italy (8-11 of February). There he conducted the negotiations with the authorities of the Italian company "Fata-group" the General Contract for the equipment delivery, its installation and staff training for the enterprises of Food Industry of the Karelian Republic was signed. (The cost is about 80 mln $ USA). The report on the results of the business trip is directed to the Head of the Government RK 12.02.98 N 243/1.
• On the commission of the Head of the Government RK the Ministry of the Foreign Relations received the delegation of the Barents Secretariat. It stayed in Petrozavodsk 9-12 of February. The negotiations on cooperation in the area of tourism development and fish industry were conducted. The agreement of financing by the Barents Secretariat of two projects on the tourism in Karelia was achieved.
• 8-11 of February the MFR RK received the delegation of Development Program of the United Nations (DP UN). The problems and specific directions of the activities in the framework of the Barents project were discussed.

16 - 20 of February

• 15-16 of February of the MFR RK received the delegation of the Latvian Republic. The delegation consisted of the Head of the Seim of the Latvian Republic A. Chelanis, the Ambassador of the Latvian Republic in RF I.Daudish, the President of the Cooperators of Latvia I. Strautinsh. They came to the Republic of Karelia on the invitation of the Head of the Government RK and the Head of the House of the Legislative Assembly RK.
  The main goal of the visit was to study the economic and political situation in RK and to conduct the negotiations on the problems of the development of the trade-economic cooperation between the Latvian Republic and the Republic of Karelia.
  The information on the results of the visit was conducted to the Head of the Government RK and to the MFA of Russia.
• 26-27 of February the visit of the experts of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Sweden to the Republic of Karelia was conducted.
• 25-26 of February in the course of negotiations in the MFR RK with the Latvian delegation stayed in Petrozavodsk 15-16 of February the problem of the arrangement of the Latvian visas for the citizens of Karelia in the Latvian Consulate in St.Petersburg. (Before the Karelian citizens had to go to the Latvian Consulate in Moscow). Last week the information on positive solution of this problem was received and the citizens of the Republic were informed via mass media.

2 - 6 of March

• 5 of March in Helsinki a meeting of the Karelian-Finnish Working group on the cooperation of the regions was hold. In this meeting the Minister of Foreign Relations RK V.A. Shlyamin (the Co-chairman of the Karelian part of the group) and the Chief of the International Regional Cooperation of the MFR RK D.V.Bazegsky took part (the secretary of the group).
  In the course of the meeting the list of the Karelian-Finnish projects for 1998 (50 projects) was made up (the cost is about 15 mln FMk) and directed to the MFA of the Russian Federation.
• A visit of the expert of the Development Program OUN John Appan who is in charge of the problems of Small and Medium Business took place.
  A meeting in the Committee of Fish Industry RK was held, the agreement on the fodder production for the Kondopoga plant was achieved.
  The agreement on the realization of the pilot project in the Republic of Karelia "Women in business" was also achieved.

10 - 13 of March

• 11-12 of March in Helsinki the Minister of MFR RK V.A. Shlyamin took part in the VI session of the Russian-Finnish Intergovernmental Group of cooperation development of the regions. He made a report there.
  The session approved of the mutual Complex Development Program between Russia and Finland for 1998-2000. This program contains the goals and tasks of the boundary cooperation.
• The negotiations were held with the participation of the representatives of the MFR RK and the Substitute of the Head of the Government RK S.M. Yaskunov. The MFR RK, the Committee of Fish Industry RK on the project of updating the fish navy OAO "Karelribflot" the State Fund of economic and regional development of Norway and the company "Swega Sea Product" took part in them. In the course of negotiations the guarantees on behalf of the Republic of Karelia on the apportion of the quotas of sea products in creating the joint Norwegian- Russian venture were prepared "Karelian sea products".

16 - 20 of March

• 16-17 of March the MFR RK received the General Consul of the Republic of Poland in St.Petersburg Eji Scotareck and the Military Attache of the Consulate of the Republic of Poland in Moscow. They arrived in Petrozavodsk to award a group of the Karelian veterans of the Great Patriotic War with the orders of the Republic of Poland "Cross of the Battle near Lenino".

23 - 27 of March

• 23 of March a delegation of the MFR RK took part in a meeting of the International Secretariat of the Committee Interreg II and the Secretariat of Commission on International Cooperation attached to the Head of the Government RK taken place in Yoensuu. The problems of coordination on the programs "Interreg" and TACIS/CBC were approved.
• 23 of March the MFR RK received the Consul on Economic and Commercial Problems of the General Consulate of India in St.Petersburg Vinod Kumar. The goal of the Indian diplomat's visit was to discuss the perspectives of the trade-economic cooperation between the Republic of Karelia and India. Meetings and Negotiations were held in the Trade-Industrial Chamber RK and the Ministry of Foreign Affair of Karelia.

6 - 10 of April

• 6 of April in the MFR RK negotiations with the Consul of the General Consulate of Denmark in St.Petersburg Kyel Frandsen were held. The problems of the Karelian-Denmark cooperation were discussed.
• 7-8 of April the official endorsement about involving the Republic of Karelia in the sphere of the Development Program of OUN activities was received.
• 7-8 of April the MFR RK received a delegation of the Regional Bureau of the Fund of "Conrad Adenauer" (Germany) in St. Petersburg. Besides the negotiations in the House of Legislation and the Government RK were held. The Fund is ready to receive the group of the Heads of the local bodies for a week training at the end of May of the current year and to be one of the sponsors of this arrangement. The Fund is also preparing to hold an International Seminar on the problems of the complex forest utilizing according to ecological demands.
• The official endorsement of involving of the Republic of Karelia into the sphere of the Development Program OUN activities was received.

13 - 17 of April

• The MFR RK prepared and directed the list of the priority projects of the Republic of Karelia applied for financing within the frameworks of the Program EC TACIS/SBS in 1998 to the Coordination Bureau TACIS attached to the Ministry of Economics of RF.
• 16 of April of the current year the Minister of Foreign Relations participated in the annual meeting of the Russian-Finnish Trade Chamber held in Kouvala (Finland) and also in International Conference on the problems of the trade between Finland and North-Western region of Russia.

20 - 24 of April

• 20-21 of April of the current year the Minister of Foreign Relations RK V.A.Shlyamin has taken part in a conference arranged by the MFA of Norway and Barents Secretariat in Oslo (Norway) on the problems of further development Euroarctic cooperation. High rank diplomats from Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland also participated in the conference. The goal of Shlyamin`s participation in the conference was to influence the leaders and ideologists of SBEAR to consider to the full extent the interests of Karelia and other boundary Russian territories.
• 20 of April the Minister of Foreign Relations has a meeting with the Ambassador RF in Norway Y.A.Kvasnitsky. They discussed the problems of Euroarctic cooperation. 21of April he took part in the sitting of the Committee of Authorities of SBEAR.
• The MFR RK has completed an information- presentation pamphlet "Karelia- 2000"and it is to be printed.
• In the "Nesavisimaya newspaper"(Regions N 7 (10), April 1998) an interview of the Minister of Foreign Relations RK V.A. Shlyamin "To Europe via Karelia" was published. There he underlined the role of Karelia in integration of Russia into European Economic Community.

27 - 30 of April

• 29 of April the Minister of Foreign Relations RK V.A. Shlyamin gave an interview to television channel "Petronet" on the results of discussion of the perspectives of further development the Barents Euroarctic cooperation at the conference held in Oslo (Norway) where V.A.Shlyamin made a report on the topic "About some of the conception approaches to the perspectives of Barents cooperation on subregional level".
• 30 of April the Minister of Foreign Relations RK gave an interview to the Karelian radio on the interests of Karelia in connection with a new strategy of "Northern demension" of European Union.

5 - 8 of May

• 5 of May the Minister of Foreign Relations RK V.A.Shlyamin and the Chief of the International Regional Cooperation of the MFR RK D.V.Bazegsky had a meeting with representatives of Finnish Unions of the following communities Pohyas Karyala, Pohyas Pohyanmaa and Kainuu in Yoensuu (Finland). The problems of the development of the Karelian-Finnish region were discussed. The parties agreed to continue cooperation work on creating the concept and decided to ask the structures of the European Union for financial support of this project, bearing in mind the facilities of Interreg and TACIS programs.
• 6 of May V.A.Shlyamin and D.V.Bazegsky took part in International seminar in Mikkeli (Finland). The seminar was dedicated to the development of business cooperation on the outside borders of European Union. V.A. Shlyamin made a report on the topic "The modern state, potentials and problems of boundary cooperation".
• The pamphlet "Karelia-2000" prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Relations is published.
• The arrangements on preparation of the Republic of Karelia to participation in the exhibition "Russia Expo-98" held in London 18-20 of May were completed. The exhibition will be timed to the reception of the Russian Federation into the structure of the Countries - the members of The Big Eight.
• 7 of May in MFR RK a press conference was held. It was dedicated to the preparation of BBC and other mass media of the European countries visit on the theme: "Realization of International Ecological projects on the territory of the Republic of Karelia".
• 18-20 of May the delegation of the Republic of Karelia participated in the exhibition "Russia-Expo-98" in London (Great Britain) timed to the reception of the Russian Federation into the structure of the Countries - the members of The Big Eight timed to the reception of the Russian Federation into the structure of the Countries - the members of The Big Eight.

September

31 of August - 6 of September

• 30-31 of August the visit to Petrozavodsk of the Head of Representation of the European Commission in Moscow Ottokar Khan took place. The meetings with the Head of the Government RK S.L.Katanandov, the substitute of the Head of the Government RK A.A. Krieger, the negations in the Ministry of Foreign Relations were held. In the course of the meetings and negotiations some agreements were achieved. They were reflected in details in the summary papers. The visit was organized by the MFR RK.
• 3-6 of September a visit of the high rank representatives of the business circles of Finland including the leaders of concerns "Onninen", "Neste", "Imatran Voima" took place. The visit was organized by the MFR RK . The meetings and negotiations on the problems of the perspectives of cooperation with the First Substitute of the Head of the Government RK V. N. Maslyakov, the Minister of Finances A.S.Kolesov, the Minister of Foreign Relations RK V.A. Shlyamin, the Chairman of REC V.V.Dubov, the Substitute of the State Committee on Environment Protection A.I.Shirpin were held.
• 7-13 of September in Petrozavodsk the holiday "Days of Culture of the Province of Vesterbotten in the Republic of Karelia" will take place.
• The MFR RK prepared and directed to the Administration of the Head of the Government RK the information about the main arrangements in the area of international and foreign economic activities of the Republic of Karelia in June-August of the current year (for the 100 days period of S.L. Katanandov`s work in a position the Head of the Government RK).
• Last week the MFR RK prepared the materials about foreign and foreign economic activities to the Concept of development of the Republic of Karelia.

7 - 20 of September

• 7-13 of September the "Days of Culture of the Province of Vesterbotten in the Republic of Karelia" were held. Within the frameworks of the "Days of Culture" the official delegation of the Provincial Vesterbotten Soviet and the General Consul of Sweden in St.Petersburg Hans Ulson stayed in Petrozavodsk.
• 8 of September the Minister of Foreign Relations RK V.A.Shlyamin participated in International Seminar "Coordination of the Programs EU Interreg and TACIS and the Programs of development of Byelomorskaya Karelia" held in Byelomorsk. V.A.Shlyamin made a report where he shared his considerations on the perspectives of development of Byelomorsky region and the Northern part of Karelia in general.
• 14-15 of September the Minister of Foreign Relations RK V.A. Shlyamin took part in International Seminar "The White Way" (the project of the tourism development in the frameworks of the Interreg Program held in Louchy and organized by the mayoralty of Louchy region. V.A. Shlyamin made a report on the theme "The Directions of economic development around the "White Way". The Minister of Foreign Relations RK also conducted a sitting where the representatives of some of the Ministries RK, federal departments, the Administration of the local bodies of power and the companies of Louchy region on the problems of construction funding MAPP "Suolerya" participated.
• 11 of September the Head of the Government RK and the Minister of Economics A.A. Krieger led the sitting of representatives of all the interested ministries and departments on the results and perspectives of project realization in the frames of the TACIS program. The sitting was prepared by the Minister of Foreign Relations RK.
• 14 of September the Ministry of Foreign Relations RK directed to the Regional Secretariat of Barents Region in Rovaniemy (Finland) and also to the Provincial Board of Administration of Vesterbotten (Sweden) the lists prepared together with the Ministry of Economics, the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Welfare, the Ministry of Education for the food stuff, medicines and other loads necessary for 40 republican school boarding houses and foster houses and 9 boarding houses for elderly people.
• 18 of September a personal message of the Head of the Government of Karelia was handed over via Representation of the General Consulate of Finland in Petrozavodsk. The message was addressed to the Prime-Minister of Finland P.Lillonen and it said that the Republic needed urgent humanitarian assistance. The request was answered and according to available information 4 mln FMk for the assistance was allotted by the MFA of Finland; 1 mln FMk by the Red Cross of Finland and 1,5 mln FMk by religion organizations.
• 18 of September the MFR RK hold the sitting with representatives of the Red Cross of Finland, Moscow Representation of International Federation and the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies with participation of a representative of Karelian Republican Section of the Red Cross of Russia.
• 17 of September the list of investment projects in the Republic of Karelia was sent to the Trade Representation of the Russian Federation in Sweden prepared by the MFR RK for the supposed funding out of opened in Sweden investment fund with the sphere of activities in the North-Western region of Russia.
• 16 of September in the MFR RK a seminar was held. The theme of the seminar is "The Republic of Karelia and its subregional aspect in the problems of security in the North of Europe. Apart from the experts of the MFR RK the representatives of Petrozavodsk State University, KarelNOK center took part in the seminar.
• 10-13 of September the Substitute of the Minister of Foreign Relations RK A.G. Kuzmin took part in a seminar , organized by the Institute of the European Investigations for the leaders of Russian regions and held in the NATO head quarters (Brussel). The perspectives of the European cooperation and the problems of security in the Barents sea region were discussed.

21 - 27 of September

• 21-23 of September the Minister of Foreign Relations RK V.A. Shlyamin and the Chief of the Department of International Projects and Programs D.V. Bazegsky held the negotiations with the Chairmen of the Unions of Communities of Finland (Pohya Karyala, Pohya Pohyala, Kainuu) about the apportionment of the means for humanitarian aid for the Republic of Karelia. The Finnish party informed that 4 mln FMk for the assistance had been allotted by the MFA of Finland; 1 mln FMk by the Red Cross of Finland and 1,5 mln FMk by religion organizations.
  These means are supposed to be directed to assist the citizens of the Karelian Republic and the Murmansk region in proportion 2/3 for Karelia and 1/3 for the Murmansk region.
• 22 of September the Minister of Foreign Relations RK V.A. Shlyamin and the Chief of the Department of International Projects and Programs D.V. Bazegsky took part in a regular sitting of the Committee Interreg - II - Karelia in Kayany (Finland). The resolution on the funding the projects of the boundary cooperation was accepted. The most promising approved projects were "Euroregion Karelia" (600 000Fm), "Russian Business Center in the Northern Finland" (860 000 Fm), a Social Project in Kostomuksha (400 000 Fm), the Center "Karelia" in Haalavesy (510 000 Fm), Stone Processing in the Republic of Karelia (554 000 Fm) and others.
• 23-25 of September the MFR RK organized a reception of a delegation of the General Consulate of the Denmark Kingdom in St. Petersburg headed by the General Consul George Russmussen.
  The meetings were held between the General Consul of Denmark and the First Substitute of the Head of the Government RK V.N. Maslyakov, the Chairman of the Regional Power Economic Commission V.V. Dubov, the Head of the Local Power Bodies A.Y. Dyomin, the leaders of the Houses of the Legislative Assembly. Negotiations and meetings were also held in the Ministry of Economics, the Ministry of Foreign Relations, the Trade-Industrial Chamber RK.
  George Russmussen took part in the festive opening of the Days of the Dutch Heat Supplying in the Republic of Karelia.
• Last week the MFR RK prepared a list of 28 projects of the Republic of Karelia suggested to realization in the framework of the Barents Program in 1999.
• 24 of September the Ministry experts took part in a round table talk, seminar and exhibition held in Petrozavodsk in the framework of the Days of the Dutch Heat Supplying. The Minister of Foreign Relations made a report on the ceremony of the opening of the Dutch Days.
• 24 of September the Minister of Foreign Relations RK gave an interview to the Karelian radio. He told about the course of work on the Concept of Social-economic Development of the Republic of Karelia and also about his personal considerations of the ways of overcoming the financial crises in the Republic of Karelia
• 25 of September a meeting of the staff of the Ministry of Foreign Relations RK with the First Substitute of the Head of the Government RK V.N. Maslyakov was held. In the course of the meeting V.N. Maslyakov has met the staff of the Ministry. The leaders of the Ministry of Foreign Relations RK told about the problems being solved by the Ministry, about the most important projects, having been realized by the Ministry in the Republic of Karelia.
  The theme of attraction of foreign investments to the Republic was discussed in details. The Substitute of the Head of the Government told about his view of the activities of the Ministry on this very important direction for the Karelian economics. The constructive exchange of opinions took place. Tough discussion was dedicated to discussion of the structure and the number of the Ministry of Foreign Relations RK.
  Last week the Ministry of Foreign Relations RK concluded preparation of the sitting of the Government RK on the problem "About the main directions of activities with international investments in 1998-1999." The Project of Resolution and accompanying information were prepared.

• 29 of September - 2 of October the Deputy of the Chief of the Ministry of Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Relations RK G.R. Evtyukov visited the settlement of Kalevala where he participated in a meeting attached to the Head of the Local Self-Government of the Kalevala National Region on the problem of arrangement of an check in point "Lonka". In the meeting the representatives of the border-guards and customs service, of the local body of power, of MFA RF in Petrozavodsk. The present state of the Admission Station "Lonka", the most important steps for its arrangement and an interaction of the parties were discussed.
  G.R. Evtyukov also took part in a mutual meeting of the leaders of the Kalevala Region and a sister community of Suomussalmy (Finland)where also specific questions of development of the Admission Station "Lonka - Karttimo" were discussed which are reflected in the mutual protocol of the meeting. The participants of the meeting made a trip to the check in point "Lonka" and inspected its present day state of the station and also the state of the highway Kalevala-Lonka.
• 1-2 of October the Minister of Foreign Relations RK Shlyamin took part in an International Seminar on the formation of approaches to making up the program of European Union "Interreg" for the period of 2000-2006 held in Vaasa (Finland). An Invitation of the Minister of Foreign Relations RK (who appeared to be the only representative from Russia) is the evidence of recognition of the role of Karelia in realization of the Concept "Northern Dimension" in the strategy of the European Union.
  The project of Euroregion "Karelia" suggested by the MFR RK at the beginning of 1998 received recognition and financing in Brussel in the framework of the Program "Interreg" for 1998-1999. At present the MFR RK is working out the idea of the Euroregion "Karelia" as the whole complex of the boundary projects in economics, ecology, culture. The joint of the projects on the TACIS and Interreg programs is supposed to be a very important component. A report of the Minister of Foreign Relations RK at the conference was dedicated to this theme.
• 5-6 of October the MFR RK arranged a reception of the General Consul of India in St. Petersburg Santosh Kumar Gangul arrived in RK for learning the Republic, meetings with leaders of the Republic and the city, conduction of negotiations on the problems of development of economic and cultural contacts between the Republic of Karelia and India.
  The meetings of the General Consul of India with the First Substitute of the Head of the Government RK V.N. Maslyakov, the Head of the Local Power Bodies A.Y. Dyomin were held. Also negotiations and meetings in the Minister of Foreign Relations RK, Representation of the MFA RF in Petrozavodsk, Ministry of Culture were conducted.
• 5-10 of October the experts of the MFR RK A.K. Kuleshov and O.V. Bicova were trained in Finland as a result of resolution of the first sitting of the Committee on International cooperation attached to the Head of the Government RK from 3.04.98 and as a result of an agreement between the Union of Communities of Finland and the Minister of Foreign Relations RK.
  The goal of training was arranged in the form of lectures and seminars on the problems of realization of the European Union programs (making proposals, information about projects), especially Interreg and TACIS, trips to boundary communes to lead the most successful projects.
  The Finnish party paid for all training and accommodation expenditures, connected with a staying of the Karelian delegation.
• 8-13 of October the Minister of Foreign Relations RK was receiving a delegation of entrepreneurs of the company "Illingwort Morris Ltd" from Great Britain headed by the leader of Confederation of British Industry Alan Luise arrived in the Republic of Karelia on the invitation of the Head of the Government.
  In the course of a staying meeting and negotiations with the Head of the Government RK and his Substitutes, leaders of the ministries, departments, forest industry and entrepreneurs of the Republic were held. The problems of development of forest complex, banking sphere, enterprises of food industry were discussed.
  The principal agreement about continuation of cooperation work on the Kondopoga Wood-processing plant and the forestry was reached. Real investments will be put in these fields in the nearest future.
• The Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Relations RK made all the organization work connected with carrying out the funeral ceremony, paperwork and transportation to his Motherland the citizen of Great Britain Chauki Hemamda who was killed in a car accident on the 28th of September.
• 7 of October in accordance with a direction of the Head of the Government RK N 614-r from 28.09.98 and in connection with the Trade Union strike "Pay back all the salary debts" the Minister of Foreign Relations RK V.A. Shlyamin went to Pitkyaranta for a period of the protest strikes of the Pitkyaranta district Trade Union.
  The meeting to support the All-Russia protest action in Pitkyaranta was held. Nearly 800 citizens took part in it, 10 people took the floor.
  The Minister of Foreign Relations RK V.A. Shlyamin spoke at the meeting and told about the Karelian Government activities on regeneration of industry and improvement of economic situation in the Republic, including the work on humanitarian aid deliveries to the Republic for the poor. V.A Shlyamin answered the question of one of the participants of the meeting about the Concept of social-economic development of the Republic of Karelia.
• 9 of October the sitting at the Head of the Government took place. It was prepared with direct help of the Ministry of Foreign Relations RK. Intermediate results of the development of the Concept of social- economic development of the Republic of Karelia were discussed. The second reference of the second stage of the Concept was made by the Ministry of Foreign Relations RK . The Concept was worked out by the Karelian Research Center of Russian Academy of Sciences.
• 14 of October in the Ministry of Foreign Relations RK the interdepartmental meeting was held. There were discussed the problems of the joint work with enterprises of the Republic which receive less current receipts that it had been intended. In this meeting leaders and experts of the MFR RK, the National Bank and the Petrozavodsk Customs.
  The goal of this meeting was to specify and to strengthen the plan of arrangements, prepared by the Ministry of Finances RK on the interaction with the enterprises of the Republic which receive less current receipts that it had been intended from the export of goods. It was the errand of the First Substitute of the Head of the Government V.N. Maslaykov. On the results of the meeting a protocol was prepared.
  The meeting and express analysis, carried out by the MFR RK on the problems of the enterprises of the Republic which receive less current receipts that it had been intended made possible to clear out the reasons. On this problem an analytical report was made by the MFR RK and directed to the First Substitute of the Head of the Government V.N. Maslaykov . It is called "About the problem of currency control in the Republic of Karelia". For the detail discussion of the problem the meeting will be held on the 21.10.98.
• 14 of October the Minister of Foreign Relations conduct a working meeting of leaders of enterprises of light industry, folk craft art industry and daily service RK which was held at the factory "Onezhskie Zory" In this meeting the leaders of 14 enterprises of light industry and experts working out the Concept of social-economic development of Karelia took part. The elaborators of the concept consider it very important to let people know about the main ideas which will be the framework of the concept. To reach the goal a vast variety of meetings with representatives of all the branches of the Karelian Industry was held. The leader of the working out of the Concept of the social-economic development the Minister of Foreign Relations V.A. Shlyamin spoke about industrial and investment policy of the Government of Karelia in modern world.
• 10-18 of October a consultant of the economic department of the MFR RK L. A. Smirnova was trained in Sweden in Luleo on the program "Training of management for feminine leaders in state and municipal sector", arranged and financed by the Swedish АО "Kompetensutvecklarna" to gather with the Karelian BCS..
  In the course of training the themes of organization and support of feminine enterprise, the work of the employment service, about social programs in Sweden, the work of Barents Region Secretariat were listened to and discussed. They were become aware of the work and structure of the State Enterprise ALMI and of the biggest Swedish bank "Nordbanken", the state possesses 40 % shares of this bank.
• 15-16 of October the Substitute of the Head of the Government Zhytniy B.G. and the Substitute of the Minister of Foreign Relations RK Spiridonov A.M. took part in the sitting of the Regional Council of the Barents Region held in Rovaniemy (Finland). This sitting was held in honor of the 5th anniversary of Barents cooperation.
  The result of the sitting was the Declaration of summing up the 5-year period of cooperation activities and mapping out new perspectives.
  The most important information was presented about the working out the program of public health service development in Barents region. A declared sum of Norwegian budget funding for 1999-2000 is about 15 mln NKr. This information will be delivered to the Ministry of Public Health RK to make the Karelian party suggestions.
• 15 of October the First Substitute of the Minister of Foreign Relations A.G. Kuzmin and the main expert of the Protocol Department of the Ministry G.P. Evtyukov took part in the meeting held in the Government RK on the fulfillment of the Resolution of the Head of the Government RK N 470 from 20.07.98 "About the arrangements on improvement of social-economic situation in Louchy region". A.G. Kuzmin reported about realization of the program of construction the Admission station Suolerya-Kortesalmy.
• 16 of October the Minister of Foreign Relations V.A. Shlyamin took part in around table talk held by the newspaper "Karelia" dedicated to development the Concept of social-economic situation in the Republic of Karelia.
  The detailed information about the round table talk is published in the newspaper "Karelia" N 44 from the 23 rd of October 1998.
• 16 of October the Department of International Regional Cooperation of the MFR RK conducted a meeting with a leader of the Technical Bureau TACIS in the North-West of Russia Lena Westman. They discussed the problems of realization of new TACIS projects approved in the autumn of 1998.
• 16 of October leaders and experts of the MFR RK took part in a meeting at the Substitute of the Head of the Government - the Minister of Economics RK Krieger A.A. They discussed the prognosis of the social-economic development of the Republic of Karelia for 1999.
• 17 of October the Minister of Foreign Relations V.A. Shlyamin visited the Petrozavodsk sawmill where he met leaders, technical experts and veterans of the sawmill and inspected the mill. At present the negotiations are being held about modernization of the sawmill with the Austrian company "Springer". On the first stage the Austrian party is supposed to invest about 2 mln $ US for reconstruction of the mill.
• 22-23 of October the MFR RK received the General Consul of Great Britain John Westhart Gie who visited the Republic of Karelia with his first official visit.
  In the course of the visit the General Consul conducted negotiations with the First Substitute of the Head of the Government V.N. Maslyakov, the Minister of Foreign Relations RK V.A. Shlyamin, the Heads of the House of the Legislative Assembly RK, the Head of the Local Power Body A.Y. Dyomin. They also visited the Diplomatic Representation of the MFA RF in Petrozavodsk, the Liqueur-vodka plant "Petrovsky", the department store "Karelia-market".
  In the course of negotiations with the leaders of the Republic the problems of political and economic situation in the Republic, involvement of English investments, development of tourism industry, cooperation in the area of education and public health service were discussed. Also the exchange of opinions on the projects of the TACIS program took place.
• 22-23 of October the MFR RK received a delegation of leaders of the Regional Commune Council of Pohya Karyala, Kainuu and Northern Pohyanmaa (Finland) arrived in the Republic to participate in the meeting with the leaders of the Republic of Karelia and to discuss the problems of the TACIS and Interreg-II EU programs realization in the Republic of Karelia.
  The Finnish delegation conducted meetings and negotiations with the Substitute of the Head of the Government RK B.G. Zhitniy and with the Minister of Foreign Relations V.A. Shlyamin and other leaders of Ministries, working with the programs TACIS and Interreg.
  Within the frameworks of the Council Commission the question on the project "Euroregion Karelia" developing the concept "Northern Dimension" was discussed.
• 21 of October a sitting at the First Substitute of the Head of the Government RK V.N. Maslyakov on the problem "About the currency control in the Republic of Karelia" was held. At the First Substitute of the Head of the Government RK V.N. Maslyakov errand the Ministry of Foreign Relations RK conducted an express-analysis on the problems of the enterprises of the Republic which receive less current receipts that it had been intended.
  As a result an analytical essay N 1636/1 from 20.10.98 was passed to the First Substitute of the Head of the Government RK V.N. Maslyakov where a number of essential reasons were pointed out.
• 22 of October the sitting of the Government of the Republic of Karelia on the problem prepared by the MFR RK was held. The problem "About the main trends of the work with foreign investments" was discussed.
  The MFR RK prepared for the Government sitting:
  • The analytical essay "On the activities of the enterprises with foreign investments on the territory of Karelia".
  • The project of the plan of preliminary arrangements for improving investment activities.
  • The suggestions on financing of international and foreign economic activities in 1999.
  • The explanatory essay to the project of the Resolution of the Head of the Government "About the main trends of the work with foreign investments 1998-1999".
  • The project of the Resolution of the Head of the Government RK "About the main trends of the work with foreign investments 1998-1999".
    At present the project is being discussed with the appropriate departments and is being prepared to be published.
• 27-28 of October the MFR RK conducted a traditional annual seminar with the co-workers of administrations of the local power bodies responsible for foreign affairs. In the course of the seminar the vast variety of problems of international and foreign economic activities was discussed.
• 29 of October the Main Expert of the Protocol Department G.P. Evtyukov took part in the sitting at the Head of the Local power body of Lachdenpohya region on the problem of further development of the Admission Station(AS) "Syuvyaoro". The schedule of the last stage of construction was coordinated.
  The general schedule of AS "Syuvyaoro" was prepared and coordinated with Vyartsilya Customs.
• 27of October the Minister of Foreign Relations RK V.A. Shlyamin participated in the radioprogram of Karelian radio where he answered the questions on the theme: the Concept of social-economic development of the Republic of Karelia.
• 29 of October the Minister of Foreign Relations RK V.A. Shlyamin took part and made a report on the sitting of the Board of the Employer Union on the problem of the Concept of social-economic development of the Republic of Karelia.
• The MFR RK provided the temporal creative collective responsible for working out the Concept of social-economic development of the Republic of Karelia all the information-analytical materials of international and foreign-economic activities.
• 28 of October the Chief of the International Regional Cooperation Department of the MFR RK D.V. Bazegskiy took part in the sitting of the Committee "Interreg-II- Karelia" held in Yoensuu (Finland). The projects on the construction of the highway Syarkinkingas- Kortesalmy, on the development of the social sphere of Petrozavodsk, creation of the folk art center in the province Pohyalan Karyala where the works of the Karelian artists will be exhibited.
• 30of October with participation of the MFR RK negotiations between the founders of the joint venture "Karelian Plywood" of the German Company "Imix Trade" and the Russian enterprise "TBS" were held. The complicated problems of their cooperation were discussed. They tried to find the ways to save the enterprise in connection with the beginning of the procedure of bankruptcy.
• In October the following papers were coordinated by the MFR RK:
  • on 8 foreign business trips of the officials;
  • on receiving 7 foreign delegations;
  • 77 citizens of the Russian Federation were given visas (the representatives of the Government, institutions and enterprises RK);
  • 46 foreign citizens were given visa supports;
  • the problem of crossing the State border line at different stations was decided positively for 28 Finnish and Russian citizens including multi-crossings;
  • The Commission on foreign departure examined 11 departure cases;
• More than 50 oral consultations were held on the problems of foreign affairs, project proposals for different international institutions and funds;
• Three month training for two workers of wood-processing enterprises of Karelia was prepared. The training is due in the middle of October in the Forest Academy of Vesterbottten (Sweden).
• More than 20 project suggestions and information materials about Karelia were directed to the working bodies of International institutions (Barents Secretariat, the Information Bureau and others), the Provincial power bodies and the Unions of the Northern country communes.
• Together with the Committee of Sports the participation of the Karelian delegation in the investment seminar on the development of the tourism industry in the North-West of Russia in Williamsburg (USA) was prepared.

• November 2 the MFR completed the work on the section of Social-Economic Development of the Republic of Karelia "International and Foreign-Economic Activities".
• November 3 the Minister of Foreign Relations RK V. Shlyamin as one of the leaders of the Conception conducted a meeting with construction enterprises directors of Karelia. The question under discussion were was different approaches to restoration of construction complex of the Republic in connection with the working out of Conception development of Karelia up to 2002. The factors influencing the construction complex were analyzed. V. Shlyamin informed about the priorities of the Government of the Republic of Karelia.
• November 3 the interview of the Minister was published in the newspaper "Nablyudatel". It was about the foreign-economic situation in the Republic.
• November 3 the MFR RK conducted the meeting about the construction of a check in point "Lonka-Karttimo"(Kalevalsky region).
• November 5 the Minister of MFR V. Shlyamin made a report on the sitting of the working group of the leaders of the enterprises of Karelia. More than 100 enterprise directors, the Head of the Government RK, the Head of the Government Substitute - Minister of Economy A. Krieger, Forest Complex Committee Chairman took part in the sitting.
  The report was discussed by more than 10 enterprise leaders. They put forward new approaches and solutions to turn to the better the economic situation in the Republic. The summary was made by the Head of the Government.
  The participants of the sitting accepted the resolution and the materials of the sitting will be used in the work on the Conception of the Development of the Republic of Karelia.
• November 5 the Decision of the Head of the Government prepared by the MFR RK N 75 "About the working group for Russian-Finnish International Agreement on Boundary Territory Cooperation from January 20 of 1992" was published.
• November 5 the Decision of the Head of the Government prepared by the economic department of the MFR RK N38 "About the main guidelines with foreign investment work was published.
• November 6-8 International regional cooperation department consultant A. Kuleshov was on a business trip in Finland. He was invited by the mayor of Lieksa.
  He made a report "Cooperation between Finland and the Republic of Karelia and the perspectives of their further development". The report was followed by a discussion, in which the participants showed their interest to "Euroregion" project realization.
• November 9-12 in Petrozavodsk the second meeting of the working group in power economy of Barents Euro-Arctic region was held where participants form Finland, Sweden, Norway, Russia took part. The problems of funding the power economy projects and creating power effective centers on the Russian territory of BEAR. The initiators of the meeting were REK and MFR RK.
• November 10 of the MFK RK directed the summary of the Social-Economic Conception project to the First Substitute of the Head of the Government RK V. Maslyakov, to the Substitute of the Head of the Government RK A. Krieger.
• November 11 the prognosis of foreign-economical activity development for 1999,prepared by the economic department of the MFR RK was directed to the Ministry of Economics of the Republic of Karelia.
• Analytical information on the foreign-economical potential of Segezhsky district was prepared by the MFR RK and passed to the Administration of the Head of the Government RK.
• November 16-17 the Minister of MFR RK V. Shlyamin took part in International Investment Conference "Tourist Development in Russia" held in Williamsburg, state Virginia, the USA. In the course of the conference they got aware with modern American technologies tourism. Russian delegation showed its potential in the sphere of cultural tourism and gave specific investment proposals.
  The base of the proposals were the projects directed to the development of the infrastructure of the world famous cultural centers- Kizhi, Valaam, Solovki.
  V. Shlyamin made a report and it was highly estimated by the participants.
  The summary of the conference were reflected in the report directed to the Head of the Government of the Republic of Karelia.
• Noveber17-18 the MFR RK was preparing the regular sitting of the BEAR Regional Committee held in Petrozavodsk. During the sitting the schedule for 1999, tourist industry problems and regional program "The Agenda for the 21 century" was discussed and accepted.
• November19 the MFR RK carried out negotiations with the director of Hannover Exhibition "Ligna-99" (Germany) Michael Shneider.
  In the course of negotiations the participation of forest complex enterprises in International Exhibition of wood processors was discussed. It is to be conducted in May 1999.
• The MFR RK prepared a letter to the Head of the Government of Russian Federation E. Primakov about the situation with wood processing enterprise "Pegas International" and about the problem of the double registration of the enterprises with foreign investments.
• November 20 the analyses of foreign-economic activities of the Republic of Karelia was published in the newspaper "Karelia".
• November 22-29 the Chief of International regional cooperation department of the MFR RK was trained in Stockholm (Sweden).
• November 23-27 the Minister of the MFR RK V. Shlyamin took part in International conference, organized by the European Union. The conference took place in Brussel (Belgium). They discussed the consequences of introduction of new European currency "euro". At the same time V. Shlyamin conducted negotiations with the director of General Directorate IA Tim Summa (Finland) who is the head of TACIS technical assistance program.
  V. Shlyamin introduced the Commissar Substitute Adrian Van der Meiyer a variant of Euroregion "Karelia" Conception.
  The Minister of Foreign Relations had a talk with the Ambassador of Russia in KES V. Likchachev, his Substitute I Ivanov. They exchanged opinions about the possible cooperation forms with EU on the subregional level.
• November 24-26 the MFR RK received Norwegian Barents - secretariat delegation lead by the General Secretary Oddryunn Pettersen. In the course of negotiations in the MFR RK the realization of the projects and new project proposals in the framework of Barents cooperation and funding Karelian projects in 1999.
  The Norwegian Barents - secretariat delegation conducted meetings and negotiations with the Substitute of the Head of the Government RK B. Zhitnyi, the leadership of Petrozavodsk State University, Karelian Research Center, Karelian State Pedagogical University.
• November 25 the substitute of the Minister of Foreign Relations A. Spiridonov conducted the negotiations with representatives of Staff Training Center and the group of Finnish businessmen of Commune Union of Pohyolan Karyalan (Finland) about the Pohyolan Karyalan Business Center opening in the Republic of Karelia.
• November 25 the MFR RK the Order N771 P of the First Substitute of the Head of the Government of the Republic of Karelia "On creating working group of Karelian-Byelorussian trade-economical cooperation" was published.
• November 26 the MFR RK prepared and directed from Karelian Republic to TACIS program two proposals-"Finrus 9604" and "Support of foreign investments to Russian Federation".
• November 26-28 the MFR RK received a delegation of businessmen from Great Britain lead by the leader of British Industry Confederation A. Lewis, come to the Republic by the Head of the Government RK invitation.
  The negotiations on the problems of banking sphere and Karelian forest complex were held, also the meeting with the leaders of ministries, branches of industries, industrial forestries and businessmen of the Republic took place.
• Novenber 27 negotiations of Suoyarvsky district RK Administration and commune leadership of Ipomantsi (Finland) on construction and opening a check in point Halavaara.
• The MFR RK economic department prepared and sent the prognosis of foreign economic activities of the Republic of Karelia till 2001.

• December 2-3 MFR RK held the third boundary cooperation sitting of Karelian-Finnish subgroup in Souyarvi. Projects for 1999were discussed, joint funding projects were chosen, the Euroregion "Karelia" problem was considered.
• December 4 the Minister of MFR RK V. Shlyamin took part in negotiations of the Head of the Government RK with the Chief of the North-Western Customs Office Shamahov. The main topic was the Government RK and NWCO of State Customs Committee RF joint efforts on the custom infrastructure development on the territory of the Republic of Karelia.
• November 5-10 the substitute of the Minister of MFR RK A. Spiridonov was on business trip in Troms (Norway), where he took part in International conference on the tourist project "Northern Lights" and held negotiations on the prolongation of Cooperation Karelian-Troms Protocol for 1999-2000.
• December 6-7 the MFR RK prepared a visit of new General Consul of Finland in St. Petersburg Harri Helenius. He began performing his duties on the 1st of December 1998. December 6 H. Helenius made a presentation in connection with the Day of Independence of Finland. December 7 he had negotiations with the Head of the Government RK and leaders of the Legislative Assembly Houses of the Republic of Karelia.
• December 8 the Minister of MFR RK took part in negotiations held by the Head of the Government RK C. Katanandov with a delegation of the leaders of the largest woodproccessing concern "Stura-Enso" (Sweden). New forms of cooperation were discussed and also the project of agreement on this problem, which is supposed to be signed in the first quarter of 1999.
• December 8 the Minister of MFR RK was interviewed on Karelian TV and he told the viewers his considerations about the Conception of social-economic development of the Republic of Karelia.
• December 8 the Protocol of Intentions was signed between the Government RK and "Yakko Pyoury" company (Finland). It pursues the policy of cooperation in the field of forest industry and wood processing enterprises development.
• December 8 the sitting of working group on Protocol authority division preparation lead by the Substitute of the Head of the Government -Minister of Economy RK A. Krieger.
• December 8 the MFR RK sent the project of decision "On the work at the International projects and programs in the Republic of Karelia" to the Substitute of the Head of the Government -Minister of Economy RK A. Krieger.
• December 9 the MFR RK Minister V. Shlyamin took part in the Parliament sitting "On the Social-Economic Development Conception of the Republic of Karelia till 2002" as a leader of temporary creative group on the side of the Government RK.
• In the first half of December the MFR RK worked out and presented to the RK Government the project of positive International image of the Republic of Karelia.
• The MFR RK prepared and directed to be published the project of the Head of the Government decision "On accepting inter- parliament and inter-governmental connections of the Republic of Karelia for 1999".
• The MFR RK analyzed the law "ON investment activities in the Republic of Karelia.", revised it and made some proposals to improve it and sent them to the Substitute of the Head of the Government -Minister of Economy RK A. Krieger.
• December 14-17 the Substitute of the MFR RK Minister A.Spiridonov was on business trip in Murmansk where together with the Substitute of the Head of the Government RK B. Zhitniy took part in the Barents Region Council meeting. At the meeting the problem of Barents Region Conference in Alta (Norway) in 1999. The Karelian participation is also planned.
• December 16 the MFR RK held a sitting where the representatives of the federal structures (Customs, National bank, Currency export control commission) participated.
• December 17 the MFR RK directed to the Head of the House of Representatives of the Legislative Assembly V.Pivnenko the inference to the Federal Law "On International and foreign-economic connection coordination of the subjects of Russian Federation".