Russia seeks to develop space cooperation with Thailand - official.

27/11 Tass 155

BANGKOK, November 27 (Itar-Tass) - Russian Deputy Prime Minister
Sergei Sobyanin said on Friday that Russia seeks to develop cooperation
with Thailand in the sphere of space technologies and telecommunications.

Sobyanin gave high marks to the fourth session of the joint
Russian-Thai intergovernmental commission for cooperation, held here. "In
particular, we offer Thailand to cooperate within the framework of the
GLONASS programme, using that system in car and sea navigation," he said.
Besides, Russia is interested to develop ties in the banking sector, in
pharmaceutics and in agriculture.
"Now we must do everything that depends on us to hold sessions of
intergovernmental commissions at least once a year," the Russian official
noted. He invited the Thai colleagues to hold the next session of the
commission in Russia.
The Thai co-chairman of the commission, Thai Foreign Minister Kasit
Phirom marked on his part progress in relations between the two countries.
He said Thailand values traditionally friendly relations between the two
countries, adding that they have become close partners.
He expressed confidence that they would manage to bring bilateral
relations to a higher level, as all possibilities for that exist. He also
hailed Russia's support in the sphere of education, expressing gratitude
to the Russian government for increasing quotas at Russian universities
for Thai students.
He said Thailand expected to closely cooperate with Russian on space
programs, where Russia traditionally holds high positions, adding that
Thailand would want to know more about peaceful nuclear technologies and
technologies of security in that sphere.
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