On the 16th of June, the 20th International Economic Forum officially opens in the Russian city of Saint Petersburg.
According to the event’s organizers, the Forum is attended by politicians and businessmen from over 100 countries. Among them, there are a vice president of the Council of Ministers of Cuba, Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz, a vice chancellor of Austria, Reinhold Mitterlehner, President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, the ex-president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, 11 foreign ministers and six members of governments of the CIS countries.
Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, delivered an opening speech at the Forum.
He thanked the event’s organizers and reminded about the signed international agreements, including that on climate change, which are to be ratified as soon as possible.
He called the Russian forests the Lungs of the Earth, which should be protected. The United Nations provides a full support to coalitions fighting against terrorists in Syria, he said.
President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, emphasized that the differences between Russian and European Union will cost much. In this connection, both parties must overcome the existing differences.
