OREANDA-NEWS. May 24, 2012. The Committee on Economic Cooperation with Asia and Oceania held a founding meeting at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Russia (CCI of Russia).

CCI of Russia Vice-President Georgy Petrov, JSC Dalpolymetal Supervisory Council Chairman Vasily Usoltsev, CCI of Russia Foreign Economic Cooperation Department Director Sergey Vasilyev, State Duma deputy, International Affairs Committee member Anvar Makhmutov and representatives of Russian enterprises and companies attended the meeting.

CCI of Russia Vice-President Georgy Petrov opened and chaired the meeting. He expressed the hope that the Committee on Economic Cooperation with Asia and Oceania would become an efficient tool of the promotion of partnership between Russian foreign economic cooperation entities and business communities of Asian and Oceanic countries.

The Asia and Oceania region is developing dynamically; it is prospective for Russia and less occupied by other states, Georgy Petrov stressed. In the opinion of the Chamber Vice-President, the Committee should concentrate on the general supervision of the work of Russian companies and enterprises in that region, the setting of priorities in the interaction with regional partner states, information support to interested foreign economic entities, assistance to the development of contacts with regional, sub-regional and national business entities of Asia and Oceania and local businessmen interested in cooperation with Russia, the participation in APEC forums and so on.

In conclusion, Chamber Vice-President Georgy Petrov said that CCI of Russia President Sergey Katyrin had approved the candidature of JSC Dalpolymetal Supervisory Council Chairman Vasily Usoltsev for Committee Chairman and stressed that the CCI of Russia would provide comprehensive support to the Committee work.

State Duma deputy, International Affairs Committee member Anvar Makhmutov made a brief greeting speech; he said that the establishment of such institutions as the Committee on Economic Cooperation with Asia and Oceania was very important, in particularly, in the context of the upcoming APEC 2012 summit. An interest in that segment of Russian business is rather high: prerequisites have been created and prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation have been mapped out. The State Duma International Affairs Committee initiates acceleration of contacts with Asia and Oceania and inter-parliamentary activity, Anvar Makhmutov said.

The meeting elected JSC Dalpolymetal Supervisory Council Chairman Vasily Usoltsev as the Committee Chairman. CCI of Russia Foreign Economic Cooperation Department Director Sergey Vasilyev and Moscow Lomonosov State University Prof. Vadim Saltykovsky were elected as Committee Deputy Chairmen. Saltykovsky also became the Committee Executive Director.

Committee on Economic Cooperation with Asia and Oceania Chairman Vasily Usoltsev presented his vision of trade and economic relations between Russia and countries of Asia and Oceania, accentuated the prospects of regional markets and said Russian business was scarcely represented there as yet.

In the opinion of the Committee head, it is necessary to start the formation of business councils with Asian and Oceanic countries. Domestic small and medium business should take an active part in that process, Vasily Usoltsev said. He views as promising the markets of Myanmar, Fiji and some other countries. Key tasks of the Committee defined by its head include assistance to Committee members and business monitoring of projects implemented or planned for these states.

Deputy Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry First Asian Department Alexander Metsegora addressed the meeting on behalf of the ministry. He wished success to the Committee on Economic Cooperation with Asia and Oceania and expressed the hope that the Committee would strengthen Russian relations with Asia and Oceania.

Representatives of several companies and associations addressed the founding meeting to express their opinion about the development of trade and economic cooperation between Russia and Asian and Oceanic states. Many of them said it was necessary to enhance the information component in the Committee work.

The Committee head urged the meeting participants to study the work plan for 2012 and to suggest amendments and proposals.

CCI of Russia Vice-President Georgy Petrov proposed the basic approval of the Committee work plan for 2012 and discussion of other organizational issues.