The meeting between the two ministers is due to take place in the Norwegian border town of Kirkenes on 9-10 June this year. On the agenda will be cross-border cooperation and joint oil and gas related challenges in the Barents Sea.
-I believe the meeting will be a landmark in Russian-Norwegian relations, Mr. Igor Bulay says in an interview to Norwegian newspaper Sør-Varanger Avis.
-There is a hope that it will be possible to find ways and solutions to negotiations which have been going on for years, he adds.
Visa free travel
Mr. Bulay underlines that Russia wants open borders and visa-free travel with its neighbours in the west. However he underlines that the desire for such openness will have to mutual.
The general consul also expresses scepticism with the proposed introduction of visa-free travel for the people living in the Russian-Norwegian borderlands. –This is a good idea, but it will have to be evaluated and studies carefully, he says, adding that the idea so far looks more like a dream.
Shtokman
Several major industrial projects will in the years to come boost investments in the Russian-Norwegian border areas.
According to Mr. Bulay up to 11,000 new jobs will be created only in the Shtokman project. He also says that it will be natural to handpick a number of the necessary petroleum experts from Norway.
-These are very interesting times, General Consul Bulay underlines to the local newspaper.
