Schwarzenegger Continues Russia Visit

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, pictured here on October 11 with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, says California could help Russia develop its high-technology industry.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has been visiting Russia on a mission to boost a campaign backed by President Dmitry Medvedev to develop high-technology industries in Russia.

Schwarzenegger and his delegation of leading California technology executives held talks with Medvedev on October 11.

Speaking to the media outside Moscow, Schwarzenegger praised Medvedev as "one of those great visionaries" and hailed investment opportunities in Russia.

"I know that Russian technology and extraordinary minds of innovation and everything, together with the Californians, I think could really create a great miracle here and a great boom in that industry," Schwarzenegger said.

The U.S. delegation and Medvedev later traveled to the city of Skolkovo, where the Russian president hopes to start a technology hub similar to California's Silicon Valley.


Schwarzenegger was accompanied on the trip by officials from Internet search firm Google, software-makers Oracle and Microsoft, biotechnology company Amgen, and fuel-cell technology firm Bloom Energy.

Schwarzenegger's trip follows Medvedev's visit to California in June, when he met with Schwarzenegger in Silicon Valley to discuss ways to boost Russia's technology sector.

compiled from agency reports