Alexander Khoroshavin Invites Governor of Hokkaido to Participate in the Presentation of Sakhalin to be Held in Tokyo

YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK. August 26. VOSTOK-MEDIA – Yesterday Alexander Khoroshavin, Governr of the Sakhalin Region held a meeting with Yoji Takahara, deputy governor of Hokkaido prefecture, who headed the Japan’s prefecture delegation that came in the island region.

Alexander Burykin, Deputy Governor of Promorsky Krai; Vadim Rokotov, Chairman of the Regional Committee for International, Overseas Economic and Interregional Relations; Sergey Karpenko, Chairman of the Regional Committee for Economy and Vladimir Nosov, representative of the MFA of the Russian Federation to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk took part in the meeting on the Russian side.

Alexander Khoroshavin, Governor of the Sakhalin Region welcomed the representatives of the Japanese delegation, who came to Sakhalin. He stressed that the Sakhalin Region Administration sets a high value on development of the interregional and international relations and gives special attention to the development of the bilateral relations with the Hokkaido prefecture.

At present there is an Agreement on Friendship and Economic Co-operation between the Sakhalin Region and Hokkaido as well as a range of other documents on cooperation, stated the head of the island region. Trade and Economic relations as well as cultural ties are developing dynamically. Friendly and mutually beneficial relationships were established between these regions.

“Both sides understand that it is necessary to boost relationship between the Sakhalin Region and Hokkaido,” Governor Alexander Khoroshavin stressed. - “In this regard we signed yet another 5-year plan for economic co-operation and cultural exchanges. According to the plan Hokkaido will invest capital and advanced technologies into implementation of the high-priority projects in the Sakhalin Region in the areas of development oftransport infrastructure, electric-power supply, construction, processing industry, etc.

According to Alexander Khoroshavin, the majority of these projects will be showcased at the presentation of the Sakhalin Region to be held Tokyo on November 16-18, 2009. The head of the Sakhalin Region extended a verbal invitation to the Governor of Hokkaido Takahashi Harumi to participate in this event.

“I am confident that the participation of Takahashi Harumi and business circles of Hokkaido in this event will be one more step on the road to the mutually profitable relations of our regions,” Governor of the Sakhalin Region said.

Yoji Takahara, deputy governor of Hokkaido prefecture expressed gratitude to Alexander Khorshavin for the invitation and supported the initiative to extend co-operation in various spheres of economic and cultural life.

Today, the Japanese delegation will take part in the fourth meeting of the residents from Sakhalin region and Hokkaido, where the development of economic and cultural relations to be discussed. The discussion will be divided in two sections: “Economic Co-operation” and “Cultural Co-operation”. A joint communique will be adopted based on the results of the event. Moreover government officials and business representatives of the Land of the Rising Sun plan to visit regional banks and enterprises, take excursion tours around cultural spots of the south of Sakhalin, reported press-service office of the regional Administration.