French PM opens exhibition in Moscow
(7 Oct 2003) Moscow - 07.10.2003 1. Exterior ExpoCenter, Moscow 2. "France Tech Russia" banner, pan out to opening ceremony platform 3. French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin walking to the podium 4. Cutaway people applauding 5. SOUNDBITE: (French) French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin: "The entire world knows the France of wines and cheese, but the world must now know the France of high technology and industry. We have an important capacity for innovation and today we would like to present to our Russian friends, the appearance of an open France." 6. Opening ceremony 7. SOUNDBITE: (French) French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin: "I am delighted to announce a new agreement, that was signed last night between Total and RosNeft, that allows us to work with the Russian Federation in offshore exploration of the Black Sea. It is these types of cooperation, made by ambitious companies , which is helping the developments and exchanges between our two countries." 8. Interior ExpoCenter, crowds following Raffarin 9. Raffarin inspecting stand with model planes 10. Model of a Beriev 200 emergency plane, pan across to Raffarin looking at it 11. Raffarin looking at stand, with "Eurocopter" in the foreground 12. "Eurocopter" 13. Interior ExpoCenter STORYLINE: French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin wrapped up a two-day visit to Russia on Tuesday with the opening of a Russian-French technology exhibition in Moscow. The first "France Tech Russia" trade exhibition opened at Moscow's main ExpoCenter, bringing together 150 of France's leading companies with interests both in Russia and France. The list of participants includes a wide range of enterprises - big and small, old-timers and newcomers to the Russian market. The main sections of the exhibition are devoted to achievements in aircraft-building and space research, automobile industry, power production, health service and environmental protection. France hopes that the forum will serve to advance relations between both countries. Raffarin met on Monday with President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov and other officials. Putin told Raffarin that Moscow was dissatisfied with the level of trade between the two countries. He noted, however, that bilateral trade had grown 33 percent over the past six months. Nearly 4,000 French enterprises export their products to Russia and over 400 have offices there. During Raffarin's visit, French and Russian companies signed a number of cooperation agreements. French power company Electricite de France and Russia's Interros holding company signed a memorandum on collaboration in the Russian energy sector, and two aviation companies agreed on a joint production project, according to media reports. A conference on space technologies held within the framework of the exhibition will be attended by France's research and new technologies minister, astronaut Claudie Haignere, who will sign a number agreements and present the Order of the Legion of Honor to the general director of the Russian Air and Space Agency, Yuri Koptev. The order will also be presented to the President of the Russian Academy of Sciences Yuri Osipov. The ceremony will take place at the French embassy Tuesday evening. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
