MOSCOW, May 13 (RIA Novosti) – The American Helicopter Association has refused to attend an upcoming international exhibition of the helicopter industry in Moscow, a Russian deputy industry and trade minister said Tuesday.
“We have received a refusal from one company, this is the Helicopter Association of America, all other companies will keep their stands,” Yuri Slyusar said.
The exhibition, HeliRussia, is the only exhibition in Russia where domestic and foreign companies present their achievements in a whole range of products and services in the global helicopter industry – from design to production and operation.
The exhibition is organized by the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade and was first held in 2008. The seventh such exhibition, HeliRussia-2014, will open at Moscow’s International Exhibition Center Crocus Expo on May 22.
On Monday, EU foreign ministers agreed at a meeting to add two Crimean companies and 13 individuals to a sanctions list over the escalating situation in Ukraine.
Since March, the US and EU have imposed targeted sanctions against Russian officials, freezing their assets and banning visas, as well as against 17 Russian companies, over the country’s reunification with the former Ukrainian republic of Crimea.
In addition, the leaders of the G7 group of nations have threatened Russia with broad sanctions against key sectors of economy in case of a further escalation of the Ukrainian crisis.
Moscow has repeatedly stated that the language of sanctions is “inappropriate and counterproductive” and warned its Western partners about the “boomerang effect” that sanctions would have. Some EU members already raised concerns about the possible new sanctions against Russia, as they could damage European economies.
