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President Vladimir Putin: In December 2004 I held a meeting and raised the issue of further developing the state border of the Russian Federation. We agreed that we would begin our work in the most critical and most dangerous area, in the Caucasus. I understand that you are willing to report on the progress of our work.

Fsb Director Nikolai Patrushev: Vladimir Vladimirovich, the work has been organized in accordance with your decrees and we have hosted various events together with the regional authorities and local administrations. We have built a total of 112 installations. They include border stations for management, offices and service as well as other installations for the border guards. We have spent approximately 20 billion rubles on building these installations and providing them with the necessary equipment.

Your decrees have been implemented and our work is finished. You have already visited certain installations and, in my opinion, their quality is high. In addition, the quality of constructions has improved over time – several installations were built in 2005, more in 2006 and most of them in 2007. We have done the necessary so that everyone serving along the border can live comfortably during their term. There are facilities to be used during free time, for recreation and sports. For that reason I believe that the request you made with respect to the North Caucasus has been implemented.

In addition, we finished constructing the facility (and I have already told you this) in Franz Josef Land. Very comfortable conditions now exist for our border guards who are serving there. They can perform their duties and relax. These facilities are available not only for border guards, but also for other departments and for tourists who visit this area. I would like you to see this installation. It is a unique facility that has been built on permafrost.

Vladimir Putin: Nikolai Platonovich, first of all I want to thank you for the work you did to develop the state border in the North Caucasus. We know that this is the most dangerous area with respect to terrorists, and I would ask that you nominate those who have made the biggest contributions to meeting this challenge for state awards.

Now we must continue work to develop other parts of Russia's state border.

Nikolai Patrushev: Your order will be executed. It will be all the easier since your decision to establish the Agency that will deal with building border crossing points and the developing the border created favourable conditions for this.

We will continue to work with the Agency and I think that this will help ensure that our border is a civilized one. And not only border guards but everyone concerned will be able to carry out their tasks there.