Russian-Lebanese Business Forum Opens In Beirut On Wednesday

The Russian-Lebanese business forum began on Wednesday in Beirut, enabling Russian and Lebanese business councils to sign a major cooperation agreement, a Sputnik correspondent reported

BEIRUT (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th March, 2019) The Russian-Lebanese business forum began on Wednesday in Beirut, enabling Russian and Lebanese business councils to sign a major cooperation agreement, a Sputnik correspondent reported.

"This meeting provides a good basis for Russian-Lebanese economic relations. The Lebanese private sector pays meticulous attention to relations with the Russian side. We believe that these ties should develop," Lebanese Minister of Telecommunications Mohamed Choucair said in his opening speech.

Chairman of the Lebanese-Russian Council Jacques Sarraf stressed that it was high time to get rid of political obstacles in Russian-Lebanese economic relations. Lebanon has already broken several barriers by signing contracts with Russian companies Novatek and Rosneft, Sarraf noted.

The Russian side at this forum is represented by President of the International Association of Islamic Business Marat Kabayev, representative of VTB Bank and Chairman of the Russian-Lebanese Business Council Alexander Gogolev, State Duma lawmaker Sergei Gavrilov, and Russian Ambassador to Beirut Alexander Zasypkin. Choucair, Lebanese Economy Minister Mansour Bteish and Tourism Minister Avedis Guidanian are among the attendees as well.

Both Lebanon and Russia have special business councils established with an objective of boosting bilateral trade and economic partnership between the two countries, extending and developing business contacts and mutually beneficial cooperation between Russian and Lebanese entrepreneurs.