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Vladimir Putin: Glad to see you!
Thank you for finding the time to come here. We shall use this time to great effect, I promise. We shall spent an informal evening. I think we should have a meal after talk. Come to my home for tea, please, after a walk. We shall have many hours for an unhurried outspoken talk on the entire range of our relations.
We have much to discuss. Positive developments are on. As you know, we shall soon ratify important documents. We are ready to do it, Mr Kuchma, and we want to synchronise it, as we have agreed upon.
As you know, our new Government is working already. I think it is well balanced though the number of ministries has been cut by half, and new people have been appointed to top posts in the remaining ministries. But people engaged in the integration of the post-Soviet area within the CIS and the Common Economic Space stay. We make it a point to keep them in the Government. They will go on with the job, led by [Industry and Energy Minister] Viktor Khristenko.
March 17, 2004, Novo-Ogaryovo