January 26, 2005
ITAR-TASS
DAVOS (Switzerland), The 35th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum opens here on Wednesday. By tradition, Davos will be the centre of world politics and diplomacy until January 30.
Some 2,220 people, including 20 heads of state and government, prominent businessmen and politicians, will discuss at the meeting the key modern problems and will suggest ways of resolving them.
According to the programme of the meeting, Russia will be represented by Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov, a number of Russian legislators, experts and cultural personalities. Two discussions on problems of Russia are scheduled for January 28.
The quiet Davos is a perfect place for joint analysis of important problems and for informal contacts. Relations are often established here, and foundations are laid for economic projects and political actions.
The discussion of changes in the leadership of the Palestinian Administration, prospects for the Middle East settlement, the coming elections in Iraq, the U.S. leading position during the second presidential term of George W. Bush, the situation in the European Union after its expansion and the situation in Ukraine after the presidential elections are on the agenda of the meeting.
Much attention will be devoted to China and India and to their growing role in the world economy. “Changing climate” is one of the items on the agenda dealing with humanity as a whole. Participants in the meeting are going to discuss under that item the consequences of the recent tsunami in the Indian Ocean.
They are to select from a great number of complex modern problems the ones that should be tackled as a matter of priority, because the interests of business and society require it. The discussion will focus on four groups of problems: global agenda; business; science and technology; values, culture and art.
Heated discussions have been going on in the rooms of the Congress Centre since early morning, although an official opening ceremony will take place in the evening. British Prime Minister Tony Blair will take part in it.
The meeting is going to hear reports of the German Chancellor, the presidents of Ukraine and France, and the head of the Palestinian Administration.
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