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In his message of congratulations to President of Abkhazia Sergei Bagapsh Mr Medvedev said that joint efforts over the last year have “helped to strengthen the Republic of Abkhazia as an independent and democratic country. We have succeeded in maintaining security and stability in the region and guaranteeing a peaceful life for the Abkhazian people.

I am sure that Russian-Abkhazian relations will continue their steady development next year in the political, socio-economic and cultural-humanitarian spheres,” the message reads.

In a message of congratulations to President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, Mr Medvedev stressed that “Over this year, Russia and Armenia’s joint efforts have brought considerable progress in our multifaceted and mutually advantageous relations. The significant results our intensive political dialogue has produced this year give us every reason to expect to see our cooperation continue to grow next year in the interests of strengthening the centuries-old friendship between our peoples and guaranteeing regional stability and security.”

In a message to President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the President said that “the outgoing year saw steady development in the multifaceted relations between our two countries. Consistent implementation of promising new projects in various mutually beneficial fields of cooperation will make a big contribution to continued development of the strategic partnership between Russia and Azerbaijan.”

In a message to President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, Mr Medvedev noted that “Russia and Belarus celebrated the tenth anniversary of the signing of the treaty establishing the Union State between them this year,” and said he is certain that “implementation of the decisions made at the recent meeting of the Supreme State Council will produce tangible new results in building a common economic and humanitarian area and ensuring close coordination in foreign policy, and in defence and security. We also have high hopes for the start of active work within the Customs Union between Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.”

In a message to Governor General of Canada Michaelle Jean, Mr Medvedev pointed out that he hopes that 2010 will “give a new boost to Russian-Canadian ties for the good of our peoples and in the interests of strengthening stability and security in the world.”

In his congratulations sent to Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper, the President noted that “Canada’s presidency of the G8 and the G8 summit and G20 summits in Canada will create new opportunities for working together on current issues on the bilateral and international agendas in 2010.

The upcoming Winter Olympics in Vancouver will also be an important international event, and Canada’s experience in organising the Games will be useful for Russia’s Sochi, to which Vancouver will pass the Olympic baton.”

In a message to President of the People’s Republic of China Hu Jintao, Mr Medvedev said that in 2009, “we worked together to consolidate the trusting partnership and strategic cooperation between Russia and China. We marked an important historic date – the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between our countries – with visible successes, guaranteeing active progress in our political ties, achieving important economic cooperation results, and working productively together in global and regional affairs.”

In his message of congratulations to President of France Nicholas Sarkozy, Mr Medvedev stressed that trusting and sincere personal contacts “enabled us to resolve important tasks on the international and bilateral agendas” and that “the upcoming national culture years exchange project will open up new horizons for cooperation, help to strengthen the Russian-French strategic partnership, and bring our peoples closer together in the interests of stability and security in Europe as a whole.”

In his congratulations sent to President of the Federal Republic of Germany Horst Kohler, Mr Medvedev noted that “in the outgoing year, Russian-German relations, based on the tried and tested principles of strategic partnership, continued their intensive and fruitful development. We deepened our political dialogue and reached important trade and economic agreements.”

Mr Medvedev underlined he is confident that in 2010 “bilateral cooperation will continue to develop in the spirit of mutual understanding and trust in the interests of our peoples and of European and international security. Your upcoming visit to the Russian Federation will play an important part in this joint work.”

In a message to German Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel, Mr Medvedev assessed the outgoing year as “very fruitful and substantial in terms of our bilateral relations.”

The President pointed out that the latest round of intergovernmental consultations gave the two countries’ multifaceted cooperation a big boost and new trade and economic projects have now been launched. Mr Medvedev noted in particular that “next year’s no less intensive work will open up broad new opportunities and the strategic partnership between Russia and Germany will develop dynamically and in substance for the good of our peoples and in the interests of strengthening stability and security on the European continent and throughout the whole world.”

In a message to President of India Pratibha Patil, Mr Medvedev highly valued Russian-Indian relations in 2009. In particular, the President noted that “we had active cooperation in trade, economy, culture, and in humanitarian sphere. Your visit to Russia was a clear illustration of this.

The large-scale programme of events marking the Year of India in Russia was a resounding success and gave the Russian public the chance to get to know better your country’s history, traditions and culture.”

In a message of congratulations to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the President gave a high assessment of the results of Mr Singh’s official visit to Russia, during which “we reached important agreements giving new impetus to all areas of our bilateral cooperation and strengthening our political, trade, economic, cultural, humanitarian, and other ties.”

One of the biggest events in our bilateral relations in the outgoing year was the national year cultural exchange project between the two countries: “the Year of India in Russia was unique in its diversity and scale. Its varied programme of events created numerous opportunities for contact with your country’s rich culture and arts. I am sure that next year we will create yet more opportunities for carrying out various mutually advantageous projects for the good of our peoples and in the interests of guaranteeing global and regional security and stability.”

In a message to President of Italy Giorgio Napolitano, Mr Medvedev said that “we had very substantial contacts in 2009. I have warm memories of our conversations in Bari and L’Aquila, which took place in the warm and constructive spirit traditional in our relations. I am sincerely committed to further close and trusting contact and cooperation for the benefit of the Russian and Italian peoples.”

Congratulating Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi on Christmas and the New Year, Mr Medvedev pointed out that “the outgoing year was yet another milestone in the developing of our two countries’ multifaceted relations. Our close work together as partners has helped us take our relations to the strategic level and reach many innovative agreements in the political, trade and economic and humanitarian spheres.

I particularly note Russia and Italy’s effective work together in multilateral international bodies. Our close coordination in the UN, the G8 and the G20 has made an important contribution towards resolving the biggest problems facing the international community today. Italy’s presidency of the G8 gave us further opportunities for this constructive work.

The recent enlarged top-level intergovernmental consultations in Rome were very significant for our bilateral relations and confirmed the importance of our bilateral ties in European and global affairs.”

In a message to HIM Emperor Akihito of Japan, Mr Medvedev stressed that “Russia and Japan worked constructively together in 2009 to strengthen their friendship and cooperation and guarantee stability and security in the Asia-Pacific region. I am sure that the work we have accomplished together will be a good foundation for continuing to develop our countries’ fruitful relations.”

In a message of congratulations to Prime Minister of Japan Yukio Hatoyama, the President said he is sure that “our pragmatic desire to build up our mutually beneficial bilateral ties and strengthen international and regional security will help us to build a genuine good-neighbourly and forward-looking partnership that fits with the reality of the twenty-first century.”

In a message to President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev, Mr Medvedev expressed his firm conviction that Russian-Kazakhstani relations are built on a foundation of “common history, strategic partnership, friendship, good-neighbourliness and mutual respect.

Our regular and trusting contacts and diverse and mutually advantageous cooperation will continue to develop for our peoples’ benefit. In this respect, we place particular hopes on the start of active work within the Customs Union between Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus. We are ready to continue close coordination of our efforts in the international stage, including with respect to your country’s upcoming presidency of the OSCE,” Mr Medvedev said in his message.

In a message of congratulations to President of Kyrgyzstan Kurmanbek Bakiev, Mr Medvedev underlined that 2009 “saw us reach agreements of principle that open the way forward for taking our bilateral relations to a new level.

I hope to continue our work together on implementing all of our plans next year. I am sure that through our common efforts we can strengthen the Russian-Kyrgyzstani alliance and strategic partnership for the benefit of our peoples and in the interests of stability and security in the region.”

Congratulating Acting President of Moldova and Chairman of Moldova’s Parliament Mihai Ghimpu on the New Year, Mr Medvedev said he hopes that “relations between our countries will continue their positive growth in 2010 and will develop on the basis of equal and mutually advantageous cooperation in the interests of peace and stability in the region.”

In a message to President of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity, Mr Medvedev noted that “considerable progress was made over the outgoing year to strengthen South Ossetia’s state sovereignty, rebuild its social and economic infrastructure and restore peaceful life to the fraternal South Ossetian people.

I hope that in 2010 we will work constructively and productively together to develop fruitful relations between our countries. We will continue to provide all-round support to your young country.”

In a message to President of Tajikistan Emomali Rakhmon, Mr Medvedev stressed the importance of Mr Rakhmon’s state visit to the Russian Federation, which “enabled us to reach important decisions on the many different issues on our bilateral agenda.”

“I hope that in the New Year we will work together on implementing the agreements reached in the interests of our cooperation’s continued development”, the President said.

In a message to President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, Mr Medvedev pointed out he is sure that “Russian-Turkmenistani relations are built on longstanding and solid traditions of friendship and mutual respect. The steps we have taken over the outgoing year to develop and expand our multifaceted bilateral cooperation are a clear illustration of the huge potential the partnership between our countries has. The implementation of big new projects will make a significant contribution to consolidating our ties.”

Congratulating President of Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko on the New Year, Mr Medvedev expressed his belief that “constructive and mutually beneficial cooperation between our countries in the spirit of our centuries-old friendship is in the Russian and Ukrainian peoples’ long-term interests.”

In his message of Christmas and New Year wishes to HM Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, the President said he is certain that “constructive cooperation between Russia and the United Kingdom will continue to develop in 2010 to the benefit of both peoples.”

In a message of congratulations to the UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Mr Medvedev noted that “the outgoing year saw an increase in our countries’ fruitful cooperation on bilateral issues and the most important world development issues. I am sure that we will continue this constructive dialogue in 2010 for the benefit of our peoples and in the interests of international peace and security.”

In a message of congratulations to President of the United States Barack Obama, Mr Medvedev said that “looking back over the year’s results, I think we can confidently add them to the positive balance in our bilateral cooperation. We strengthened our bilateral relations, expanded our cooperation on the international stage, and made progress in building a pragmatic, mutually beneficial long-term partnership between Russia and the USA. What is especially important is that the reset in our relations is based on the principles of trust, openness, and readiness to take each other’s interests into consideration.

Now we have ambitious new tasks ahead. I hope that we will continue our joint work and constructive dialogue in the New Year in the interests of sustained and positive development of our bilateral ties, strengthening strategic stability in the world, and finding the best responses to the global challenges we face today.”

In his congratulations sent to President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov, Mr Medvedev underlined that Russia is committed to “consistently developing constructive and mutually advantageous cooperation in the aim of building on the whole spectrum of the traditionally friendly relations between Russia and Uzbekistan.”