Valentin Mezhevich, member of Federal Council

— Federation Council’s Natural Monopolies Committee has approved the date of All-Russian Energy Forum “Fuel and Energy Complex in XXI”

This traditional forum is to take place in Moscow on Apr 1–4 2008. It will be the 6th forum. The program of the forum consists of 9 thematic roundtables and a plenary session to be conducted in the Kremlin Palace. The key topics of the forum are the reformation of the municipal energy sector, problems of gas processing, the development of the gas sector and the power machine building industry, problems of ecology and renewable energy sources, the promotion of information technologies in the fuel and energy complex. One of the roundtables will discuss the scheme for allocation of energy facilities in Russia till 2020.

The forum is based on the principles of cooperation and multilateral dialogue among authorities, energy companies and public organizations and is oriented towards the tasks set by the President in his annual messages.

The forum involves many regions of Russia. At least, 20 regions have already applied for participation in this year’s forum. The Federation Council is a chamber of regions and it is very important for us to organize a constructive dialogue between the federal center and regions. We should consider the regional factor when discussing the problem of territorial allocation of energy facilities.

The forum is expected to make recommendations for the further development of the fuel and energy complex of Russia. The resolutions of the forum serve as a basis for laws and a guideline for strategic decisions.