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Vladimir Putin: Dear ladies and gentlemen, allow me to inform you briefly about the results of our work. Our talks have just ended with the President of the Republic of Yemen, Mr. Ali Abdallah Salih. The main outcome of the present meeting is the signing of the Declaration on the Principles of Friendly Relations and Cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Yemen. This basic document can without exaggeration be called a comprehensive program of our development for the long term. The Declaration affirms the similarity of the two countries' positions on key world problems. Among them: the fight against international terrorism, the ensuring of stability and security, the construction of a just world economic community.

We are convinced that the new century's system of international relations must be built on the principles of respect for the sovereignty of each state and on the strict observance of the rules of international law. People in Russia well know that thanks to the energetic efforts of President Salih the Republic of Yemen now plays an ever weightier role in the strategically important areas of the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa.

The authority of Yemen has greatly strengthened in the Arab Muslim world, which, undoubtedly, opens up new prospects for our cooperation. We discussed the situation evolving around Iraq. Russia and Yemen have a common position: the crisis that has arisen needs to be resolved solely by relying on the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and on the resolution of the Security Council.

We examined the situation in the Middle East. Both countries favored the speediest possible ending of the confrontation and a resumption of the Palestinian-Israeli dialogue. We are ready to lend the necessary assistance to the peace process both in the format of the Quartet of international mediators and within the framework of the committee of foreign ministers of member countries of the League of Arab States for control over the realization of the Arab initiative, adopted at the summit in Beirut.

We discussed the full range of questions pertaining to bilateral relations, including trade-and-economic ties, and attach great importance to the development of regional ties. Naturally this cannot develop successfully without a definite juridical base and we signed a number of agreements today and intend to broaden this area of cooperation in the future.

In conclusion I would like to express satisfaction with the results of the visit and thank my counterpart for accepting our invitation and to express the conviction that the visit of Mr. President to Russia will enrich the traditions of friendship, mutual understanding and cooperation between our countries.

Thank you.