Leningrad Region Governor Negative on Breaking the Twinning Relationship

Leningrad Region Governor Alexander Drozdenko said that he was extremely negative about statements by twin-regions in Western Europe that they would be severing cooperation and interaction with the Russian region.

"I highly disapprove of such initiatives by regional managers, who consider themselves politicians and have decided to abandon the basic principles of people-to-people diplomacy", said the governor.

Alexander Drozdenko expressed confidence that these were temporary issues.

"We will soon see a reversal, as the breakdown of cooperation at the local level is against the interests of the people. I believe that normal countries should not have a gap between the interests of citizens and the interests of the state", said the region's head.

The regional administration recalled that despite the loss of some foreign partners, the regional government continues to move forward and tries to establish new European ties. For example, the region is now establishing cooperation with Serbia. Furthermore, the Leningrad Region will expand the geography of cooperation with those countries willing to do so, namely the CIS countries, China, India and South Africa.