UPDATE: Russian regional heads to discuss Skolkovo project at St. Petersburg Economic Forum

Russian regional heads will be invited to discuss the development of Russia's innovation sector and the creation of the Skolkovo high-tech research park near Moscow at the 2010 St. Petersburg Economic Forum, a presidential aide said on Friday

Russian regional heads will be invited to discuss the development of Russia's innovation sector and the creation of the Skolkovo high-tech research park near Moscow at the 2010 St. Petersburg Economic Forum, a presidential aide said on Friday.

Arkady Dvorkovich told the Tomsk International Innovation Forum that the Skolkovo research and development project, which has been described as a Russian version of Silicon Valley, and other innovation projects will be discussed at the Economic Forum on June 17-19.

Eight Russian regional chiefs signed on Friday in Tomsk a memorandum on the creation of a regional association for economic innovation.

The document was signed by the heads of the Republics of Tatarstan and Mordovia, and the regions of Novosibirsk, Tomsk, Kaluga, Perm and Krasnoyarsk.

Officials from the Russian hi-tech government corporation Rosnano and the Academy of National Economy also signed the agreement.

The governors expressed concern that Moscow had never consulted the regional authorities over the Skolkovo project.

"The regions have been investing in the development of techno-parks and other projects for several years, but we have never met for discussions on the subject," head of Mordovia region Nikolai Merkushkin said.

Dvorkovich said Skolkovo will benefit innovation projects in all of Russia's regions.

"Skolkovo will be able to become some kind of "umbrella", connecting all the innovation centers of the country as well as different companies," Dvorkovich said.

The annual International Innovation Forum in southwestern Siberian city of Tomsk brings together heads of federal bodies and top managers of Russian and foreign companies.

In 2010 the forum is being held under the theme: "Innovational leadership in the regions: competition for the future". The event, which is being attended by more than 1,300 people, ends on Friday.

TOMSK, May 21 (RIA Novosti)