Russian presence at international IT forums has grown gradually over years, and at CeBIT the number of Russian exhibitors will grow from 88 to 150, demanding 4,300 square meters of floor space, higher than 2,000 square meters demanded last year. The Russian share of the show floor will be the fourth largest, with the top spots occupied by China, Taiwan and the U.S., said Ernst Raue, member of the managing board of Deutsche Messe AG.

It seems logical. Despite a decrease in show duration, spaces and the number of exhibitors, as some big manufactures left the fair, CeBIT remains the center of attention in hi-tech industry. Last year 434,000 visitors attended CeBIT, 85 percent of whom were professionals.

For Russia, struggling to add IT to its image, the status of being a CeBIT partner country is not just symbolic, but economically and politically important. Germany is the biggest sales market for Russian IT companies. The share of Russian IT companies oriented with the German market grew from 11 to 19 percent in two years.

Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, is expected to inaugurate CeBIT 2007 and welcome Russia as a partner. Organizers even expect Vladimir Putin, the Russian President, to participate in the opening ceremony. The two leaders are to meet at the German-Russian summit related to IT and Telecom technologies, held on the first working day of CeBIT.

Moreover, Russia, represented by industry association APKIT has been granted partner status with German IT association BITKOM for 2007. Together APKIT and BITKOM are expected to organize three joint booths at CeBIT for outsourcing, software and telecom companies to present the Russian IT and telecom industry.