vlad.tribnet.com / Issue #611 / Social life / Reading article...

Primorye Governor Sergei Darkin and Stanislas de Laboulaye, the French Ambassador to Russia, on Monday in Vladivostok signed an agreement of intentions to develop cultural and educational cooperation between the Primorye region and France.

France can not help but pay attention to the city of Vladivostok where 16 consulates of different countries operate and whose role is becoming more important regarding the prospect of development of the Asian-Pacific region, the ambassador reported. “Vladivostok is a port city which serves as a gate to Asian markets and the region of Primorye has an economic and tourist potential which should not be overlooked,” he said.

According to Stanislas de Laboulaye, there is a base for significant development of political and economic relations between France and the Primorye region. “Vladivostok is to host the APEC summit in 2012 which will boost the local economy and bring the city into the light of world diplomacy,” the ambassador stressed.

The cooperation is supposed to be intensified between the universities in order to increase exchanges of students and lecturers. Currently there exist links between Far Eastern National University in Vladivostok and the University of Rouen, the Far Eastern Technical University in Vladivostok and Polytechnic School of Paris Institute of Technology, between Vladivostok Medical University and Strasbourg Medical School.

During his visit to Vladivostok the ambassador met with the heads of Far Eastern National University and Far Eastern State Technical University and participated in the conference "The Russian language and Russian culture in the dialogue of Asian Pacific countries."

On Monday the ambassador attended the inauguration ceremony for Alliance Française in Vladivostok. Alliance Française will become the 11th center of its kind in Russia and will focus on developing cultural programs in Vladivostok and providing French language courses for the Russian residents.

Two months ago the Consulate General of France was opened in Yekaterinburg. “If it develops successfully we could think of other cities as well,” Stanislas de Laboulaye said answering reporters’ questions about Vladivostok plans.

He noted that the idea of establishing sister ties between Vladivostok and a city in France seems appealing but stressed that, “the era of sister cities serving for only ‘decoration’ purposes has ended.” According to the ambassador, local authorities can initiate establishing sister links between the cities but the residents themselves should be genuinely interested in this process too.

Stanislas de Laboulaye added that besides educational and cultural exchanges, the cooperation in tourism should also be developed.

The year 2010 will be the year of France in Russia and the year of Russia in France correspondingly. According to Stanislas de Laboulaye, the preparations conducted by the French Embassy in Moscow are in full swing.