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President Vladimir Putin:

Dear Mr Mori,

Dear colleagues,

Friends,

I have a mission today that brings me honour and pleasure – that of awarding the Order of Friendship to Mr Yoshiro Mori, deputy to the Japanese house of representatives and co-chairman of the Russian-Japanese expert group – the Council of Sages.

We have known Yoshiro Mori for many years now as a sincere supporter of closer relations between Russia and Japan. He has always worked towards expanding business and cultural ties between our countries and has had a lot of success in this work. He has been directly instrumental in helping carry out significant projects and initiatives between our two states and also between regions, business communities and non-governmental organisations in our countries. Mr Mori has also paid a lot of attention to strengthening ties between twin cities.

Through his activities, Mr Mori is continuing a good family tradition. (His father also supported developing dialogue and friendship between our countries and our peoples).

Mr Mori’s father did a great deal to build up confidence between our peoples, move away from past stereotypes and establish direct contacts between our countries.

Dear friends,

Russia and Japan are not just close neighbours – they are partners with good prospects and a lot of interest in each other.

It is precisely such people as Yoshiro Mori who, through their pragmatism, determination and energy, have helped open up the full potential of our bilateral cooperation. We highly value the Japanese Prime Minister’s decision to appoint Mr Mori co-chairman of the Public Council for Developing Relations between Russia and Japan. This forum will serve as a powerful intellectual force for coming up with original political, economic and cultural ideas and initiatives.

I am sure that the expert group’s practical work will enrich our relations and add new dimensions to Russian-Japanese ties. The professional and personal qualities of Mr Mori and all the members of the Council of Sages are the guarantee of its success.

I would like to wish Mr Mori good health, prosperity and success. I hope that you will continue to promote the cause of Russian-Japanese relations with as much energy as you do now. I congratulate you on receiving this Russian state award and I thank you for your cooperation.

Yoshiro Mori: Mr President, it really is very touching for me to have just now been awarded the Order of Friendship by you.

Last year, when I came to Moscow, I was honoured with the title of honorary professor at the Moscow State International Relations Institute. After receiving that title, I made a special visit to Irkutsk where my father is buried. Incidentally, my father also received a very respected award from your country. It seems to me that now that you, Mr President, have awarded me the Order of Friendship, I can be equal with my father. In receiving this high award, I am reminded of my late father’s words when he said that if his ashes are buried in the Russian Federation then his son will be certain to work towards developing our bilateral relations. I feel these words of my late father take ever greater resonance in my heart. It really does mean a lot to me to have received this high order from the hands of a man I greatly respect and consider my most important friend, that is, from you, Vladimir.

I would like to take this opportunity to assure all present here today that I will dedicate the rest of my life to developing friendly relations between Japan and the Russian Federation.

Once more, I thank you.