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Vladimir Putin : Ladies and gentlemen!

First and foremost I want to join in thanking the President of Kyrgyzstan, Kurmanbek Salievich Bakiev, and all our Kyrgyz friends for the warm welcome.

I share my colleagues’ high opinion of the outcome of the SCO summit. Our meeting here in Bishkek has been really productive. And the decisions taken will, I am sure, further strengthen our Organisation.

The main business today has been the signing of the Agreement on Long-Term Neighbourly Relations, Friendship and Cooperation. This document provides a guide for working together in the future. It also creates a good foundation for the comprehensive development of the SCO and for increasing cooperation among members of the Organisation and observer states.

Today we have also signed important agreements concerning the ministries of culture and the SCO financial and economic structures, the Business Council and the Interbank Association. Our approach to regional and international issues is reflected in the Bishkek Declaration.

One of the SCO’s topical challenges remains working together in the fight against terrorism. The way terror currently operates across borders makes it a general threat for our countries and the SCO will deal with it using the mechanisms established by the Organisation. As you know, tomorrow we will participate in the final phase of the SCO anti-terrorist training exercises in the Chelyabinsk region of Russia.

In conclusion, I want to thank my colleagues for their support of the Russian proposal to hold the 2009 session of the SCO Council of Heads of State in the Russian Federation.

I am confident that relations between our countries will continue to develop on the basis of ”Shanghai Spirit“ of cooperation. Our peoples' mutual desire for friendship and partnership will help create and implement new initiatives and projects in the cultural, educational and economic spheres.

Thank you for your attention.