UNESCO chief backs plans of Russia-France Year

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PARIS, October 29 (Itar-Tass) - UNESCO director-general Irina Bokova
expressed support for plans of staging the first Russian-French student
forum and the children's festival "Our Planet" next year.
These actions which will be on the programme of Russia-France Year,
were discussed by her on Wednesday at a meeting with head of the
Rossotrudnichestvo agency Farit Mukhametshin and Russian chief delegate to
the UNESCO Eleonora Mitrofanova.
Mukhamethin told Itar-Tass that the head of the UN Organisation for
Education, Science and Culture displayed great interest in the programme
of Russia-France Year. Bokova "welcomed active participation in its
preparation of the public at large and non-government organisations,
including a partner of the Rossotrudnichestvo agency - the Fund of
Socio-Cultural Initiatives".
The scale and drive into the future of the unprecedented
Russian-French project to be translated into life in 2010, were also
stressed at the talks of the Russian delegation at the French Foreign
Ministry. The head of the Russian agency and Secretary of State Alain
Joyandet exchanged opinions on the mapped-out plans and programmes.
The preparatory meeting of representatives from Russian and French
universities, that was held later in the day, expressed conviction that
the 2010 joint actions "will give a noticeable impetus to inter-university
partnership". For instance the sides plan to set up a joint permanent
Congress of rectors of humanitarian universities.
The French Union of Russophones regards the Russian-French programme
as "innovative and unique". The Coordination Public Council was
established at this influential organisation of fellow countrymen. It
intends to promote the 2010 actions under the sign of consolidating
Russian-French friendship.
The discussion of plans of the Russian-French dialogue will be
continued in Lyon on Thursday. The administration of the Rhone-Alpes
region backs a proposal of the Rossotrudnichestvo agency on opening a
branch of the Russian Centre of Science and Culture in that metropolitan
area, located in southeastern France.

.Russia, Cuba sign agreement on cooperation in fishing.

HAVANA, October 29 (Itar-Tass) - The agreement between the Russian and
Cuban governments on cooperation in fisheries was signed in the Cuban
capital.
The document was signed on Wednesday by head of the Russian Federal
Agency on Fisheries (Rosrybolovstvo) Andrei Krainy, now on a visit here,
and Cuban Minister of the Food Industry Maria Concepcion Gonzalez.
Speaking at a ceremony on this occasion, Krainy noted that Russia and
Cuba are bound by years-long cooperation in fishing. "Fishermen of our
countries worked in the same crews and were fishing not only in Cuban
waters, but all over south-eastern Pacific. We have created now grounds
for our forward movement and turn a new chapter in our relations in
fishing," the Rosrybolovstvo chief said.
He emphasised that Russia had accumulated rich experience in
aquaculture, fishing, shipbuilding and training of specialists. "We shall
be glad to share this great experience with our Cuban friends," Krainy
said, adding that talks are now in progress on several practical projects.
In turn, Gonzalez said that the signing of the new intergovernmental
agreement on cooperation in fishing "points to a rise of relations between
our countries to a higher level". She expressed hope that this document
would open new opportunities for joint implementation of new projects,
"which is especially important in the present period when the entire world
is living through the deep economic crisis".
The signed agreement provides for the development of bilateral
cooperation in such areas as preservation and rational use of live marine
resources; heading off, forestalling and busting illegal fishing, exchange
of information and documents on fisheries.
The document also aims at fishing research, drafting and
implementation of scientific and technical programmes, development of
aquaculture, training and advanced training of personnel for the fishing
industry, drafting and implementing joint projects on sea fishing as well
as processing and selling fish goods.
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