Penza, 13 September 2017. PenzaNews. The interaction of Flensburg and Penza, which has evolved over the past 10 years, is an example of successful German-Russian cooperation at the municipal level. Such opinion was expressed by Ellen von Zitzevitz, adviser of the Economy and Science Department of German Embassy in Russia, at the opening of the 5th Flensburg-Penza Congress at Penza State University on Wednesday, September 13.

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"I've already looked through the programme. Indeed, there are many different reports and interesting topics. I would like this to be not only a discussion but also an opportunity to set new goals and targets for the future", the diplomat said.

She reminded that the year of municipal partnership between Germany and Russia had started on June 29.

"Bilateral relations are maintained not only through negotiations at the highest level but above all though a dialogue between ordinary people, [...] representatives of various spheres and fields," the advisor of the embassy noted.

Ellen von Zitzevitz also drew attention to cooperation of the countries in the economic sphere.

"Currently, there are more than 5,000 [German] enterprises that are present in the Russian market. Germany continues to be a major partner for Russia," she stressed.

According to the diplomat, cooperation in the spheres of science, water resources, polar studies and ecology is also of great importance.

"The congress is a great example of continuation of such interaction," Ellen von Zitzevitz said.