Russian business ought to build up presence in the Polish market, said Hermann Gref, Minister of Economic Development and Trade

Russian business ought to build up presence in the Polish market, said Hermann Gref, Minister of Economic Development and Trade. Novosti interviewed him just before his flight back to Moscow. The minister had paid a routine visit to Poland, starting November 1, Monday last. "Pragmatic and efficient," Mr. Gref described a Polish-Russian business summit that had gathered in Warsaw earlier on the day. "We met at the forum spokesmen of many major Polish-based companies engaged in the Russian market. Russian business, on the contrary, is represented here in Poland less than it ought to be-that's evident," he remarked. Poland will host another bilateral business forum, January 25. "Russia must boost representation-all the more so as its business community has far greater chances in Poland, now that the latter has joined the European Union," the minister went on. "Bilateral trade and other economic contacts are making sufficient progress, though their content leaves much to be desired. Raw materials and commodities after primary procession preponderate. They make 70 per cent of Polish exports to Russia, and 90 per cent of the reverse. To make this content more sophisticated is a must." Mr. Gref called Russian business to be more active in Polish-hosted high-tech industrial expositions.