Official website of the President of Russia

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Vladimir Putin: Dear friends!

I sincerely welcome you to an event that has already become a tradition, awarding the Global Energy Prize.

Four years ago Russia founded the international award for outstanding research in the energy sector. Recently this award has received both the authority and respect it deserves.

Today the international award committee includes 30 major scientists from nine countries and more than 600 member of the scientific community have the right to put forward nominees. And the number of people participating in the competition increases every year.

I will emphasize that as one of the world’s energy leaders Russia is not only engaged in exporting energy resources and electricity. We intend to continue supporting scientific research that will increase the efficiency and security of energy production. And of course research that conforms to environmental standards. Various important directions include hydrogen energy, thermonuclear energy, bioenergy and nanoenergy.

We are convinced that the Global Energy Prize helps unite the best efforts in global science and breakthrough initiatives in research. It supports research to supply all mankind with energy.

As you know, energy security will be one of the main themes at the forthcoming G8 summit that will take place here, in St Petersburg.

Dear friends!

Today we are celebrating the new winners of the Global Energy Prize, an international team involved in developing the International Thermonuclear Reactor (ITER).

Russia, the United States, the European Union, Japan, Canada, China and South Korea have united their efforts towards creating an essentially new energy source. And it is especially pleasant for me to present this prestigious international award to academician Evgenii Pavlovich Velikhov, French scientist Dr. Robert Aymar and Japanese scientist Dr. Yoshikawa Masaji.

As far as I know, this is the first time that a collective prize has been awarded. Dear gentlemen, this confirms the unique value of your joint scientific research.

It is with my whole heart that I congratulate the winners of the prize. I wish you health, well-being and success. And of course new scientific discoveries for the good of humanity.

I want to thank the scientists actively working on the international award committee and also the founders of the prize, including leading energy companies such as Gazprom, Unified Energy Systems of Russia and Surgutneftegaz.

I wish us successes with all my heart.

Thank you very much for your attention.