Kremlin welcomes Stockholm decision on Nord Stream.

MOSCOW, November 18 (Itar-Tass) - President Dmitry Medvedev of the
Russian Federation (RF) has arrived in Stockholm. This is the first visit
to Sweden by the Russian Head of State over the past eight years. While in
Sweden, Medvedev will attend the 24th Russia-European Union (EU) summit
and will make a brief working visit.
Medvedev's working day on Wednesday is to begin with an official
meeting with Swedish Premier Fredrik Reinfeldt and subsequent
Russo-Swedish talks in a broader format. At the close of the talks, the
two leaders are to make a joint statement.
A high official of the Kremlin administration has told Itar-Tass that
there will be also a meeting between Medvedev and King Carl XVI Gustaf of
Sweden.
The Kremlin official believes that "This first trip by the President
of Russia to Sweden over a long period (since 2001) is expected to
stimulate the bilateral political dialogue and give a fresh impetus to the
development of comprehensive mutually beneficial cooperation in various
fields."
"The central subjects of discussion at the upcoming Russo-Swedish
talks will include trade-and-economic cooperation matters," the official
said. He recalled that "In the pre-recession period, reciprocal trade
turnover manifested a record-high rate of growth -- it almost quadrupled
within the period from 2003 to 2008 -- from $2,120 million to 8,640
million".
"Notwithstanding the telling effect of the world financial and
economic downturn ( in January-August 2008 bilateral trade decreased by
51 percent as compared with that in the corresponding period of 2008), the
sides positively estimate prospects for stimulation of economic contacts,"
the source emphasized.
As an example the source mentioned "quite good results of
investment-related cooperation: the aggregate amount of Swedish cumulative
capital investments in Russia, as of the beginning of 2009, was $3,300
million, including direct ones running at $894 million. Among major
investors are such prominent firms as Electrolux, Volvo, IKEA, Scania, and
Tetra Pak.
The Kremlin's estimate is that "positive tendencies have begun to show
in the energy sector". "The recent decision by the Swedish government to
agree to the laying of two lines of the Nord Stream gas trunkline across
the Swedish exclusive economic zone in the Baltic Sea is viewed by the
Russian side not only as a friendly move in bilateral relations but also
as a tangible contribution to the enhancement of European energy
sufficiency," the RF presidential administration official pointed out.
At the close of the visit to Sweden, Medvedev will arrive in Slovenia
where he will be present at a soccer match between the national teams of
Russia and Slovenia.