On November 26, at his meeting with delegation of West Sumatra led by the Governor Irwan Prayitno at the Kazan Kremlin, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov said that Indonesia is one of the biggest trade partners of the Russian Federation among ASEAN countries. He also noted that Tatarstan is one of the most developed regions in Russia, and the republic is interested in developing relations with Indonesia and its provinces.

Speaking about relations between Tatarstan and Indonesia, Rustam Minnikhanov reminded participants of the meeting about events held within the framework of APEC forum in Kazan, when Indonesian ministers of trade and agriculture visited the republic. Also, Tatarstan delegation visited Indonesia last May, and a session of Russia-Indonesia intergovernmental commission will be held in April 2015 in Kazan.

Minnikhanov noted that the republic has developed oil, petrochemical and engineering industries.

“We are interested in promoting produce of Kazan helicopters plant, KAMAZ, and Zelenodolsk shipbuilding plant in Indonesia, whereas Indonesia can supply the republic with textile, electronics and other produce,” Minnikhanov said. He also mentioned education, student exchange, tourism, and sport as prospective areas of cooperation.

In his turn, Irwan Prayitno thanked Rustam Minnikhanov for warm reception and said he was impressed by Kazan. “We have visited Kul-Sharif Mosque, IT-park, and the Orthodox Church. We were impressed by achievements of the republic, and enterprises we can cooperate with,” he said. Irwan Prayitno also noted peaceful co-existence of religions in the republic that is important for Indonesia as representatives of many religions live there.

Irwan Prayitno briefly told about the province of West Sumatra, and noted that the local government is interested in cooperation with Tatarstan in the sphere of education. Also, they can supply cacao beans, palm oil and sea food to the republic.

Tatarstan First Vice-Premier Aleksey Pesoshin, Vice-Premier – Minister of Education and Science Engel Fattakhov, Aide to Tatarstan President on international issues Radik Gimatdinov, Chief of Staff of Tatarstan Investment Development Agency Taliya Minullina, Chairman of Tatarstan Chamber of Commerce and Industry Shamil Ageev, and heads of several enterprises took part in the meeting.