Fredrik Reinfeldt and Carl Bildt visited Moscow
On Tuesday 9 March, Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt visited Moscow for talks with President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. This was a follow-up to the constructive discussions held in connection with the meeting in Stockholm in November last year.
With President Medvedev, Mr Reinfeldt and Mr Bildt discussed deepened cooperation in the context of Russia's modernisation in various fields. There is great potential for cooperation between Sweden and Russia in areas such as high technology and innovation. The importance of a general facilitation of business investment and trade between the countries was emphasised. The discussion also concerned the way in which the rule of law and human rights are observed in Russia.
In connection with the meeting, five agreements between Sweden and Russia were entered into, on cooperation in space matters, energy efficiency, culture and health, and between the prosecution authorities of the two countries.
Global challenges such as the UN negotiations on climate change and the consequences of the economic crisis were also raised.
With President Putin, Mr Reinfeldt and Mr Bildt discussed economic relations, the conditions for Swedish business in Russia and the functioning of the justice system.
Met corporate leaders and organisations
During their visit to Moscow Mr Reinfeldt and Mr Bildt also met a number of Swedish corporate leaders active in Russia to discuss business opportunities and investment conditions in the Russian market.
In addition, they met representatives of the non-governmental organisations Human Rights Watch, the Carnegie Moscow Center and the Center for the Development of Democracy and Human Rights, as well as the newspaper Kommersant. The meeting addressed the domestic political situation and the human rights situation in Russia, with a particular focus on media conditions.
