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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: President of China, dear friend and comrade Xi Jinping, Chinese friends,

Let me wish you all a warm welcome to Ufa, one of the Volga region’s most beautiful cities. Thank you for agreeing to take part in first the  Background information BRICS BRICS summit and then the  Background information Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. This part of Russia is one of our country’s most beautiful corners and I hope you will like it here.

I know that the authorities here in Bashkortostan and the local people have put in a lot of effort to prepare well for hosting these events.

We are all very pleased to see our guests and friends here, but I will not hide that it makes us especially happy to see our Chinese friends, given the extensive humanitarian and political contacts we have and our growing trade and economic ties.

We are fully aware of the difficulties we face in the economy and in international politics, but if we join our efforts, I am sure we can overcome all problems before us and resolve all the tasks.

We are very happy to see you. Welcome!

President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping (retranslated): Mr President, my old friend, it is a pleasure to see you again and to meet with other old friends.

I did indeed arrive in Ufa today in the best of moods. Many asked me, “Where exactly is Ufa?” and I also said that I was going there for the first time.

But when I looked out of the plane window, I saw what really is a very beautiful city. What’s more, there was so much forest down below. I am sure that this is a very clean and attractive city, and I am staying in an excellent hotel here. I thank you once again for the warm welcome and hospitality, and I thank the local authorities too for organising these summits.

I would also like to thank you again for the welcome reception I was given during my recent visit to Moscow. The parade on Red Square made a deep impression on my colleagues and me. It made a deep impression on the Chinese people in general and helped us to gain a deeper understanding of that war [the 1941–1945 Great Patriotic War].

Our participation together in the events celebrating the 70^th anniversary of Victory had broad resonance and sent a challenge to the entire world to celebrate this event.

I am looking forward to seeing you in September in China to take part in celebrating the 70^th anniversary of victory in our war against the Japanese invaders and the victory in the war against fascism. We will continue working together with the international community to make our contribution to the cause of peace throughout the world.

It is with great pleasure that we have accepted your invitation to take part in the seventh summit of the BRICS and SCO leaders. I am ready to pursue the closest contacts with you in order to ensure that these summits are a success and produce results.

I know that your former Prime Minister, Mr Primakov, died recently and I express my profound condolences and pass on my words of sincere sympathy to his family and friends.

He was one of the founders of our strategic partnership relations and made a great contribution to developing peace. Our people will always have fond memories of him.

Vladimir Putin: Thank you very much for your condolences.

Mr Primakov was without question one of the founders of Russia’s policy today. He was a man of great influence and served his country long and well.

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