Schwarzenegger welcomes President Medvedev in San Francisco

Within the framework of the visit to the United States for talks with US President Barack Obama, Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev met with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger late Tuesday after arriving in San Francisco.

Arnold Schwarzenegger told the San Francisco Chronicle in an interview that he was especially pleased that Medvedev chose California as his first stop in the United States, and that the Russian President was at his side to witness the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Russian-based Renova Group of Companies that will preserve California's Fort Ross State Historic Park, a Russian-American settlement dating from the 1800s.

Schwarzenegger offered to put together a trade delegation to "help in any way possible to improve and build on the already fast growing economy in Russia," AFP quoted him as saying. Medvedev welcomed the proposal, referring to California as a linchpin in the US economy.

Medvedev said he considers the cooperation between US and Russia in sphere of high technologies to be very productive. He said hopes his Wednesday visit to Silicon Valley would be "very useful" to establish what he called "important" trade and business relations between Russia and Silicon Valley.

"We know you are very interested not only in developing and diversifying the economy but also you are very interested in nuclear disarmament," Schwarzenegger said to Medvedev. "I want to tell you how much I appreciate that," he said.

In conclusion, Russian President said he is glad to leave for Washington after sharing experience of California.