Riga, 15 October 1997 (RFE/RL) -- Senior bankers and finance officials from East and West are gathering in Riga today for the first day of the third international conference on banking and finance in the Baltics.
The heads or deputy heads of the central banks of Russia, Poland, Hungary and the three Baltic states are expected to attend, as well as all Baltic finance ministers, the regional chiefs of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Bankers and experts from the U.S., Britain, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and elsewhere will also attend.
Vilnis Ilzins, a spokesman for the conference organisers, told RFE/RL that this year's conference -- which ends Friday -- will be the first to focus not only on the Baltics but also on the broader area of East and Central Europe. Ilzins said it is planned in future to make the conference a forum for exchange of banking experience throughout the whole transition region.
The heads or deputy heads of the central banks of Russia, Poland, Hungary and the three Baltic states are expected to attend, as well as all Baltic finance ministers, the regional chiefs of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Bankers and experts from the U.S., Britain, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and elsewhere will also attend.
Vilnis Ilzins, a spokesman for the conference organisers, told RFE/RL that this year's conference -- which ends Friday -- will be the first to focus not only on the Baltics but also on the broader area of East and Central Europe. Ilzins said it is planned in future to make the conference a forum for exchange of banking experience throughout the whole transition region.