Rustam Minnikhanov: Tatarstan and Bashkortostan have rich potential for the development of mutually beneficial cooperation

On April 18, during his working visit to Ufa (the Republic of Bashkortostan), at their meeting with Acting Head of the Republic of Bashkortostan Radiy Khabirov, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov said that Tatarstan and Bashkortostan have rich potential for the development of mutually beneficial cooperation.

Minnikhanov thanked Khabirov for his attention to the development of cooperation with Tatarstan and help in organization of the Days of Tatarstan in Bashkortostan.

“Our fraternal peoples are united by a common history, culture, national traditions, a single religion, close languages, the similarity of economic interests. Throughout the centuries-old history, our peoples have always had and will always have only friendly relations. Tatarstan and Bashkortostan share a border, have regular bus and train connections and daily direct flights. A representative office of Tatarstan operates in Bashkortostan. It is planned to open a representative office of Bashkortostan in Tatarstan. We are ready to assist,” Minnikhanov said.

Tatarstan President noted that Bashkortostan is a strategic partner of Tatarstan. The interregional trade turnover amounts to over 34 billion roubles. A range of mutual shipment is traditionally very wide. Trucks, tires, compound feedstuff, glass, building materials, consumer goods, medical and refrigeration equipment are supplied from Tatarstan. Manufacturers from Bashkortostan supply petrol, buses, groceries, cement, roofing materials, chemical products, medicine, household equipment and much more to Tatarstan.

Tatneft Oil Company, KAMAZ Automaker, TAIF Groupof Companies, TANEСO Oil Refining Complex, NEFIS Cosmetics Complex, agricultural enterprises and many other companies are successfully developing cooperation with colleagues from Bashkortostan.

Khabirov noted that today many Bashkir enterprises are actively cooperating with Tatarstan companies. Significant inter-municipal projects are being implemented. The Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Bashkortostan and Tatarstan work together. “The regions strengthen business cooperation, establish a groundwork for expanding business activity. We all have much work to do, especially in increasing oncoming trade flows. We establish Bashkortostan Plenipotentiary representative office in Tatarstan for these purposes,” Acting Head of the republic said.

He noted that today the economic integration between the regions is taking place in key sectors: the oil industry, engineering and agriculture.

He also noted the importance of strengthening contacts in education, culture, medicine and sport.

Later on the same day, Minnikhanov and Khabirov signed an Agreement between Tatarstan Government and the Government of Bashkortostan on trade, economic, scientific, technical, social and cultural cooperation.

The Acting Head of Bashkortostan handed in the Order of Salavat Yulaev to Tatarstan President for “a major contribution to strengthening of cooperation between Bashkortostan and Tatarstan”.