OREANDA-NEWS. May 20, 2011. On May 18 Head of Karelia Andrei Nelidov met with Mika Boedeker, Director of the Nordic Council of Ministers' Information Office in St.Petersburg. Mr Boedeker is in Petrozavodsk in connection with held in Petrozavodsk Nordic Weeks which program includes cultural and educational activities prepared by five Nordic countries – Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, as well as by Nordic Council of Ministers.

Head of Karelia has thanked the management of the Nordic Council of Ministers' Information Office for preparation of training seminars and cultural programs conducted in Karelia.

– Such contacts are very important for citizens of the republic, they give us a chance to observe what goes on in the world and how our western neighbours live, – Andrei Nelidov said in the course of the conversation. – Cross-border cooperation with Nordic countries enter largely into the plans of development of the republic, and we hope for its strengthening and continuation.

Matters at the meeting concerned spheres for further cooperation. Mr Boedeker has told Head of Karelia about projects already launched or being prepared for implementation in Nordic countries and in the Northwest of Russia. These are training seminars for civil society development, initiatives in the field of household refuse collection and recycling, water treatment, as well as exchange in the sphere of culture.

For new spheres of possible cooperation Andrei Nelidov has offered to consider training of experts in the sphere of ecological and cultural tourism, development of transport communication, joint projects in the sphere of construction of treatment facilities, organization of refuse collection and recycling.

Some of these projects are under implementation. Within the framework of the grant assigned to Karelia it has become possible to involve partners and funds to purchase equipment for separate refuse collection and sorting in Petrozavodsk. And though only first steps have been made in this direction, Karelian authorities consider it the most perspective. Moreover, St.Petersburg, Sestroretsk, Pskov and other cities of the Northwest of our country are ready to adopt Petrozavodsk's experience.

According Mr Boedeker, many directions are perspective and Nordic Council of Ministers' Information Office in St. Petersburg is ready to support Karelia's offers. In particular, these could be joint projects in ecology, as well as initiatives in the field of ecological tourism.

– We are ready to consider new opportunities for development of our cooperation, and to support projects within the scope of our activity, – said Director of the Nordic Council of Ministers' Information Office in St.Petersburg.