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During the one-on-one conversation, current issues of the two countries’ cooperation were discussed.

The visit to Russia by the President of South Ossetia culminated in the signing, in the presence of the two leaders, of an agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of South Ossetia on cooperation to insure Russian nationals residing permanently in South Ossetia under the compulsory medical insurance system of the Russian Federation and to provide them access to treatment at medical facilities of the Russian Federation.

Following the talks, Vladimir Putin and Anatoly Bibilov made statements for the press.

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Beginning of the conversation with President of South Ossetia Anatoly Bibilov

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr Bibilov, I am glad to see you.

There is probably no need to delve into recent history. We are aware of what happened ten years ago, back in 2008. The situation has undoubtedly stabilised since then. Russia is doing much to ensure the reliable security – by which I mean military security as well as border security – of South Ossetia.

Thank God, our trade began to grow last year – first by three percent, then by a whopping 48 percent in the first nine months of this year, primarily, of course, due to the textiles coming from South Ossetia.

But we are meeting today to discuss what else should be done to expand the possible range of goods that can reach the Russian market, what should be done in order to create new jobs, what should be done to support the republic’s social sphere.

I am very happy to see you. Welcome.

President of South Ossetia Anatoly Bibilov: Thank you, Mr Putin.

Allow me first to thank you for your kind invitation to come to Moscow on an official visit. This is certainly very important for South Ossetia, and I think that the development of our relations to date has been at a fairly high level. If we consider the political component, the interstate component, we already have about a hundred agreements, a number of additional agreements are in the making, and they are exactly the kinds of agreements that will contribute to the advancement of integration processes and the development of our economic relations.

Regarding trade, today thanks to the investment programme geared toward economic development, rather significant steps have been taken. These include the planting of apple orchards, and meat production on the territory of South Ossetia.

There are, of course, certain problems, which are generally solvable, and I do not think there will be any difficulties.

Of course, compared to what happened in 2008, it is night and day in South Ossetia in terms of development. We are gradually forgetting what our children had to go through nine years ago.

We are now focusing on economic development, on the development of the social sphere, and I think it will work out for us thanks to the Russian Federation.

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