Attitude Of Davos Forum Organizers Affected Russian Delegation Composition - Gov't Source

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th January, 2019) The general attitude of the organizers of the upcoming World Economic Forum (WEF) in the Swiss city of Davos regarding the participation of Russians influenced the representativeness of the Russian delegation, which became one of the reasons for the delegation being headed by a minister, and not a deputy prime minister, a source in the Russian cabinet told Sputnik on Wednesday.

Russian Economic Development Minister Maxim Oreshkin will head the Russian delegation to the WEF in Davos. The 2019 edition of the forum will be held on January 22-25.

"The government's leadership is focused on work on the domestic Russian agenda, including national projects, for the implementation of which ministers and deputy prime ministers are responsible.

The general attitude and position of the leadership of the Davos forum concerning the participation of Russian representatives in the work of the forum could not but affect the representativeness of the delegation," the source said, commenting on why a minister headed the delegation instead of a deputy prime minister.

In early November, the forum organizers denied three Russian businessmen who had been sanctioned by the United States last spring the right to participate in the event. The ban on the Russian businessmen was later lifted and a number of restrictions were imposed instead. The forum organizers have said they would take steps to ensure that the presence of the sanctioned Russian nationals was fully compliant with current legal conditions.