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Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon dear gentlemen!

I am glad to welcome you to the Moscow Kremlin and to congratulate you on the beginning of your diplomatic missions to Russia.

You are beginning your activities in a period in which our country, having overcome the difficulties of previous years, is starting to engage in important work in the economic and social spheres.

Multilateral diplomacy is our preferred approach to international affairs. And we believe that the G8 summit that just took place demonstrated the world’s leading powers’ aspirations to find solutions to modernity’s problems together. Russia has also shown its readiness to defend its national interests and, at the same time, to find compromises to help resolve difficult international problems. We discussed issues such as energy security, education, and the fight against infectious diseases. We certainly looked together for the most effective ways to fight against terrorism. We talked about our common initiatives to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the settlement of regional conflicts.

We consider policy that promotes collective principles in international affairs to be a key factor in ensuring international stability. It is only in this way that we can overcome the inertia of an approach based on conflicting blocks and overcome the prejudices that remain from previous decades.

Russia will continue to pursue a policy that supports a more secure and more democratic world order, and that strengthens the important role of the United Nations.

The present crisis in Lebanon has already had important humanitarian consequences. This confirms the imperative need to increase the efficiency with which the United Nations can exert influence on international processes and help resolve concrete international problems.

I shall repeat: these are the approaches that our foreign policy defends. We consider that they are in the interests of global development and the national interests of the Russian Federation.

In connection with this I would like to emphasize that the countries you represent can be confident that Russia is a reliable and responsible partner in both political and economic spheres.

The relations between Russia and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia are developing in an very friendly way. We consider that the peaceful resolution of the Ethiopian-Eritrean conflict is an important factor in social and economic development and stability in the region. We also believe that by employing joint efforts in our bilateral relations we can achieve new forms of cooperation in political, economic and cultural spheres.

Russia and Ukraine have a centuries-old history, close economic and cultural relations, and rich fabrique of relations between individuals.

Today we are constructing our relations based on our Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership, the agreements on the Black Sea Fleet, and other fundamental documents. Our relations are taking on a more pragmatic character. Along with this they are based on interregional and cross-border cooperation and are developing quickly and effectively at the highest level. Our relations act as examples of reliability and stability. Pursuing such a policy is directly in the interests of our peoples, and helps increase the authority and influence enjoyed by both our states.

Russian-Italian relations have really attained the status of partnership relations. We are engaged in active bilateral cooperation and are successfully implementing major joint economic initiatives. Our international cooperation has been a significant factor in European and international politics. At the basis of our cooperation lie our harmonious approaches to a wide range of issues.

Historical relations link Russia and Syria, one of the leading countries in the Arab world. We attach great significance to promoting Russian-Syrian dialogue on current international and regional problems and setting up constructive cooperation in the fight against international terrorism.

All of this undoubtedly helps strengthen cooperation in different areas as provided for by the agreements that we reached during President Bashar Al-Asad’s visit to Moscow.

Recently our relations with Japan, our neighbour and promising partner, have developed actively. The Russian-Japanese Action Plan that was developed at the highest levels is being carried out at a good rate, and we have set out a full agenda of political dialogue.

Our volume of trade is growing at impressive rates. In 2005 it increased by over 30 percent. Over the last five years the number of Japanese companies working on the Russian market has more then doubled. We welcome this.

And the fact that our relations are developing in such a way will create the necessary conditions, the basis, for joint work towards finding a mutually acceptable solution to the problem of concluding a peace treaty between our countries.

We note with satisfaction the positive dynamic in our friendship relations with Chile. We are interested in expanding our multifaceted and constructive cooperation. We aspire to developing both our economic relations and our international political relations. The necessary preconditions to do so exist, and agreements reached during our summit meetings in 2002 and 2004 will help us dynamize these processes.

The ties between Russia and the Republic of Poland, one Russia’s important partner in Central Europe, have a rich historical tradition. Our friendly attitude towards Poland and the Polish people remains constant. We are in favour of positive and fruitful cooperation. I am convinced that this will be not only to the benefit of the people of Russia and Poland but to the benefit of the whole European continent.

We value our historically friendly relations with the Republic of Mauritius. We intend to continue supporting their development in the political, economic and cultural spheres and strengthen our dialogue in international forums, first and foremost within the United Nations.

Dear colleagues, friends!

I want to assure you that your efforts towards developing equitable and mutually advantageous relations will meet with sincere support and openness in Russia.

I wish you success and I thank you for your attention.