On behalf of the Government of Moscow please allow me to greet the participants and guests of the Fifth International Business Conference "Russian precious metals and gemstones market: actual conditions and prospects".

The pressing problems scrutinized at the conference are of great importance and are directly linked to the economy of Moscow, along with other spheres of the capital's life.

Moscow, since ancient times, is a center of jewellery and jewellery industry. The share of Moscow-based producers and traders of jewellery equals to two thirds of the total of Russian jewellery production.

Also in the Moscow province there are a number of enterprises producing gold, silver, platinum group metals, alloys and related technical or medical products.

The development of the defense industry, electronics and many other industrial sectors of our city is bound with the application of precious metals.

I have no doubts that this conference will become a new valuable contribution to the increase of precious metals and gemstones production, will assist to the growth of quality parameters in this industry and to strengthen the position of domestic producers on the world market.

I wish to the participants of the conference a successful work and new achievements in business.

Mayor of Moscow

Yuri M. Luzhkov