Extracts from First Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov's remarks during a news conference that followed the meeting:

"We have had a constructive and, more importantly, productive dialogue on the further development of the Petersburg Dialogue forum. We discussed the key issues concerning the preparations for the 12th meeting of the forum. After a prolonged and heated debate, we came up with the following title: Russia and Germany: Information Society Facing 21st Century Challenges.

"We will propose subjects for several roundtable discussions, such as the development of Russian and German cities and problems stemming from the so-called 'crisis of multiculturalism.' We also plan to focus on approaches that society in Russia and Germany can use to address the propaganda of violence, the threats of extremism, xenophobia, and religious intolerance. We will also continue sharing our experience in dealing with social issues, and the interaction between the two countries' media communities.

"A productive discussion of these and other issues suggests the broader involvement of young Russians and Germans in dialogue programmes. In this context, in addition to the now traditional meetings of German-Russian Youth Parliament within the forum framework, this year will see a roleplay, The Youth Factory of Innovative Solutions, and a conference, Youth Extremism: Counter-Strategies.

"We agreed to encourage greater involvement of the forum working groups into the discussion of problems of Russian Germans and Russian compatriots living in Germany. This should provide a valuable addition to the effort being made by a bilateral intergovernmental commission, and have a symbolic meaning this year, because in 2012-2013 we will mark the 250th anniversary of Catherine II's manifestos that preconditioned the first German settlements in Russia.

"We also approved the forum's details. This year it is Russia's turn to host the meeting, which will be timed to coincide with the next high-level Russian-German intergovernmental consultations.

"As you can see, the forum has been busy. Innovative solutions emerge all the time, and are often even too bold at first glance. But we greatly support this approach.

"I believe that the existing format of this forum's work is what helps it complement the rapidly growing trade and economic cooperation between Russia and Germany. Last year, trade between our two countries reached an all-time high at $71.9 billion, or 37% more than in 2010."

Answering journalists' questions, Zubkov spoke of the events planned for 2012 and 2013 as part of the Year of Germany in Russia and Year of Russia in Germany. The president has appointed Zubkov to head the Russian section of the organising committee for these events.

The first deputy prime minster said that the exchange-year opening ceremony will take place in Moscow in June, when the city will also host the joint exhibition, Germans and Russians – 1000 Years of History, Art, and Culture. The exhibit will highlight the joint milestones between Russia and Germany over the past 1000 years. This year's exhibition will take place at Moscow's State History Museum, while next year's event will take place at the Neues Museum in Berlin.

The opening of the exchange-year project will include a concert by a Russian-German youth symphony orchestra at Moscow's State Tchaikovsky Conservatory. In June, Berlin will hold a German-Russian Festival and an international festival of Russia's national culture, Constellation of Russia.

"As you can see, many interesting events have been planned, and are only waiting to begin. Closing festivities will be no less exciting. For example, we are considering the possibility of holding a Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Valery Gergiyev gala, featuring leading Russian and German opera vocalists in Berlin next summer," Zubkov said.

Other important events will include a reserve stock exhibition from the Moscow Kremlin museums, Global Culture Crossroads. Russian Tsar's Court from Ivan the Terrible to Peter the Great, in Dresden; a festival of Russian language and literature, a tour of Vladimir Spivakov's Moscow Virtuosi chamber orchestra, and a Russian Film Week in Berlin.

Petersburg Dialogue is taking an active part in preparations for the exchange-year project. We are considering a conference, Russia and Germany in the Global World, for the exchange-year programme, as well as a series of mutual fact-finding visits for German and Russian journalists, and football games between student teams from the leading Russian and German universities.