Official website of the President of Russia

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The message read, in part:

“This meeting is taking place in an entirely new atmosphere in the relations between our two countries. We share a common awareness of the strategic importance, for Russia and Japan, of building long-term, mutually beneficial, partnership. I sincerely hope that the rapprochement between our countries that meets their national interests will be further promoted by the summit meeting and talks with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori due to be held in Tokyo in early September of this year.

“The links between the contiguous regions of the two countries that are growing year in and year out make a useful and important contribution to the invigoration of Russian-Japanese relations. Trade and economic cooperation in Russia’s Far East is growing in scope, as witnessed, for example, by the implementation of the oil and gas projects on Sakhalin. Contacts in the fields of culture and science and between non-governmental organisations are on the rise.

“Regular contacts among representatives of the Far East have emerged as an effective channel for deepening cooperation and mutual understanding between Russia and Japan at the regional level. I am convinced that this meeting will give added impetus to the cooperation between the regions of Russia and Japan and will open up new opportunities to expand such cooperation.”