Budapest intends to cooperate with the Russian capital Moscow, mayor István Tarlós has said, adding that during his official visit to Moscow, the preparation of cooperation was begun and is expected to be finalised for signing in 2015. Negotiations did not extend to the renovation of Budapest’s M3 metro line, Mr. Tarlós noted.
The Budapest mayor was invited to the Moscow Urban Forum, which began on Thursday and is attended by the leaders of 12 international metropolises and large cities, by Moscow mayor Sergey Sobyanin. The event enabled the discussion between the leaders of Budapest and Moscow to take place.
Mr. Tarlós recounted that Budapest has Budapest has an active relationship with metropolises such as New York, Beijing or Shanghai and Moscow certainly fits into this row. Pointing out that the cooperation that existed between the two cities in the office terms of their former leaders has somewhat lossed impetus, the intention of concluding an agreement with Moscow similar to ones already in place with cities playing a key role in world politics naturally developed.
While future cooperation with Moscow is to extend primarily to urban policy, Mr. Tarlós belives that city leaders can do much to improve relationships between certain countries because of their ability to discuss questions which can bring nations closer to each other in less formal and more humane settings.
Starting from the issue of public transport in the Russian and the Hungarian capital to the manintenance of public areas, problems related to homelessness, the comparation of touristic plans and the area of culture, possibilities of cooperation are numerous, the Budapest mayor said. Mr. Tarlós emphasised that Russia and, more closely, Moscow is an enormous sales market and Hungary cannot allow itself the luxury for “such a near superpower” to slip out of its interest.
Mr. Tarlós noted that negotiations in Moscow did not extend to the renovation of Budapest’s M3 metro line. The issue was raised neither in discussions with mayor Sergey Sobyanin nor with other officials or at background talks. As an open tender will be called for the reconstruction of the line and the planning of infrastructural redevelopment has already begun, he will not negotiate with anyone until the open tender has closed.
via mandiner.hu
photo: orientpress.hu