"This meeting and Frank's meeting in Brussels on December 5 with 25 transport ministers of the EU and its would-be members we see as the start of the transport dialogue between Russia and the European Union", Izmailov said.
In discussion at the meeting was the possibility of interaction between the EU and Russian transport networks, he said. Particularly, within the framework of the programme for smoothing out transport disproportion in Europe, the European Commission is preparing a feasibility study report of a high-speed train service to the Kaliningrad region (Russia's enclave on the Baltic sea). According to Izmailov, Russian specialists have not yet been involved in the project. Russia has already voiced interest in their involvement.
"Lamoureux has promised us to give a prompt answer", Izmailov said.
Another important matter at the meeting was, he said, "the investment component of cooperation with the EU". Russia has proposed "to expand the mandate of the European Investment Bank regarding Russia".
Russia would use the EIB credits to build modern iceboats, said Izmailov. In his opinion, Europeans should be interested in the development of the Russian fleet of iceboats, operating specifically in the pilotage of oil tanks in the Baltic.
Russian negotiators have lifted the concerns of the EU representatives on the environmental safety of the Primorsk port in the Baltic, handling the bulk of the flow of Russian oil tankers, said the deputy transport minister.
