Crimea Hosts German Delegation From Heidelberg to Develop Partnership

A delegation from the German town of Heidelberg has arrived in Russia's Crimea to develop the partnership between the two regions, the Crimean government said Tuesday.

SIMFEROPOL (Sputnik) – Crimean Deputy Prime Minister Georgy Muradov has already received the delegation and told the German representatives about the republic’s history, climate and culture.

“The delegation’s visit is aimed at elaborating further plans on developing the partnership between Crimea and Heidelberg, studying the life on the peninsula and visiting the Crimean sights,” the government said in a statement.

Muradov also called on the delegation’s members to communicate with Crimeans to see for themselves that the rights of all Crimean ethnic groups, including the Crimean Tatars, are respected.

The visit came after the 14th conference of Russian and German partner cities, involving the two states' foreign ministers and regional representatives among other participants, was held in the Russian city of Krasnodar on June 28-30. The event is held twice a year and Russian and German cities host the conference alternately.

German representatives have already paid multiple visits to Crimea after the autonomous republic rejoined Russia as result of a popular referendum in March 2014. Previously, a delegation from Germany and Austria arrived in Crimea in late April.

In mid-May, the German-Russian Chamber of Commerce (AHK) head Rainer Seele said that over 90 percent of AHK members  support immediate or gradual removal of anti-Russia economic sanctions, imposed by Washington and Brussels to show their disapproval of Russia’s alleged meddling in the Ukrainian affairs despite the fact that Moscow has repeatedly refuted their allegations.