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Earlier in the day, Vladimir Putin and Nicolas Maduro participated in the meeting between Background information BRICS BRICS leaders and South American heads of state.

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Vladimir Putin: Mr President, my friend,

I am very happy to see you, and I want to note that everything we set as objectives in our relations with Hugo Chavez, and later, with you – we are carrying out all of it.

Despite the hardships in the global economy, our trade is growing; last year, it grew quite significantly. We are implementing major joint projects, working together in the social sector, in military technology cooperation, and other areas, including energy and construction.

I know that soon, you will be celebrating Hugo Chavez’s 60^th birthday. If you allow, we would like to send a high-level Russian Government representative to participate in those events.

You know that we have named a street in Moscow after Hugo Chavez; you were present at that celebratory event. We are planning to issue a special postal stamp in honour of the 60^th anniversary since his birth.

I am very happy to see you.

Nicolas Maduro (retranslated): I am also very pleased to see you. You are a great friend to our people. In addition, Russia, under your leadership, is doing enormous, large-scale work to strengthen multipolarity. So the development of our cooperation is progressing rapidly. This was the dream of our late President Chavez; he believed in it.

Today’s BRICS meeting was wonderful and the statement on the creation of the bank was an enormous step. As I said today during the meeting, this is the path toward a new alliance. That is how we should continue our work, strengthening our cooperation.

I am very happy to see you.

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