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Captain Oleg Peshkurov: Mr Commander-in-Chief,

This is the Chief of Staff of the Operational Command in a remote marine zone Captain Peshkurov.

There are three combat vessels and three support vessels under our command. All equipment is operational; the vessels within the group are well stocked. We are fully prepared to fulfil the task.

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Let us ask our Chinese colleague to report to the President of China of the work they are performing.

Commmanding officer of the Chinese Task Force Lee Pengchen (translated from Russian): Allow me to report, Mr President Xi Jinping, Mr President Putin. I am the Commanding Officer of the Chinese task force acting on instructions to remove chemical weapons from Syria. My name is Lee Pengchen.

These past few days together with our Russian colleagues from the Pyotr Veliky missile cruiser we have been escorting chemical weapon components from Syria. We have already worked together twice. We are now in good combat readiness, prepared for new assignments. We await your orders.

Vladimir Putin: Comrade marines,

As you may know, China and Russia have done a lot to resolve the conflict in Syria, including our efforts to liquidate chemical weapons. The Navy men from Russia and China have an important task to handle – they need to guarantee the security of this process.

Last year Russian and Chinese service members held two military exercises: anti-terrorist and naval. In the future, we intend to make every effort needed to strengthen global security. I wish you and your men success!

President of China Xi Jinping (translated from Russian): Commander-in-Chief of Russia, comrade Lee Pengchen, officers and men of the Chinese and Russian vessels, hello!

I am pleased to have this video conference with you today together with President Putin. On behalf of the Chinese Government and our people, I extend my greetings and best wishes on the New Year to you and your families.

Since the end of last year, we have been together implementing the task of escorting the ships removing chemical weapons from Syria. You have been acting under the mandate of the UN Charter and the corresponding Resolution of the UN Security Council. In close cooperation and contact, you have twice successfully escorted the chemical weapons, and I would like to congratulate you on this success.

I would like to wish you good luck in your future actions to escort the chemical weapons from Syria and to safeguard the security of this procedure, which would make a significant contribution to the political settlement of the Syrian crisis.

According to the Lunar calendar this year is the Year of the Horse. Horses for us symbolise happiness and prosperity and I would like to wish you good luck and success, so that you achieve a breakthrough in implementing your military tasks.