Official website of the President of Russia

Transcripts   /

President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Mr President, friends, colleagues,

It is a great pleasure to see you here in Moscow. Thank you for accepting our invitation to visit Russia.

We in fact maintain constant close contacts. You know that we see Uzbekistan as our key partner in the region.

We are very pleased that Russia remains Uzbekistan’s biggest trade and economic partner today, and pleased too, that Uzbekistan’s trade with our country is growing all the time. Our bilateral trade increased by 20 percent over the first quarter of this year.

I think we will be able to make up for some of the losses that we suffered in 2011 and to a lesser extent in 2012. It is good to see that recovery has now begun.

Russian companies work actively in Uzbekistan and there are 400 Uzbekistani companies operating in Russia. Overall, we have quite solid cooperation.

We work closely together in various international organisations, always taking into account each other’s interests, and supporting each other in many ways. I take this opportunity to thank your Foreign Minister and other colleagues for this cooperation and support.

It is a pleasure to see you. Welcome!

<…>