The Skolkovo Innovation Center and Cisco Systems, one of the world's leading network technology designers, signed a letter of intent on cooperation in developing the Russian innovation centre during a meeting of the Innovation Working Group of the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission in Washington.

In addition, Cisco Systems concluded an agreement of intent with the Skoltech Institute of Science and Technology, and the Pushchino bio-technology cluster, with the administration of the state of Maryland.

Speaking at the meeting Deputy Prime Minister and the working group's Russian Co-chair, Vladislav Surkov, said: "We are now more actively involved in the development of Skoltech. The team has been formed. Now we'll start upon a new stage in our cooperation and will create science and technology centres based on it, at which Russian, American and other researchers will work in priority areas of Russia's industrial policy."

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Surkov expressed his confidence that Russia will become an innovative economy. He recalled that Harvard University Professor Daniel Bell, an expert on post-industrial society, predicted that Russia could become the world's first post-industrial state. "I believe in this, but I know that we won't get anywhere without international cooperation, especially with such a country as the United States," Surkov summed up.