Governor of St. Petersburg Valentina Matvienko announced at a meeting today with Paula Lehtomäki, the Minister of Environment of Finland the city administration would work out and submit its environmental friendly proposals to be included in the Strategy for the Baltic Sea, the press service of Smolny reports.

Mrs. Lehtomäki noted the European Union has been working out a strategy for the Baltic Sea. "The Baltic Sea is a natural object that unites all of us. We want the principles of the Strategy have been implemented in a specific work to be undertaken to preserve the health of the Baltic Sea. We would be willing all Europe to have been involved in this program", Paula Lehtomäki is quoted as saying. She offered the Saint Petersburg to participate in the implementation of the Strategy.

Valentina Matvienko highlighted that St. Petersburg had long been interested in joining all measures, all the programs for the healthier Baltic Sea.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, speaking at the summit of the Baltic Sea Action Feb. 11, had announced Russia would present its healthier Baltic Sea program at a Moscow meeting of countries, members of the Helsinki Baltic Marine Environment Commission (HELCOM) to be held in May.