Official website of the President of Russia

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Russian President Vladimir Putin: Dear Mr Secretary-General! Dear colleagues!

Allow me welcome you to Moscow. We recently had the opportunity to speak briefly in Bucharest. I am very pleased to have the opportunity to welcome you to Moscow.

Relations between the Russian Federation and the United Nations are very close. Russia is not only a founding member of the UN but also a most active participant in all of its processes. Russia is also a permanent member of the Security Council.

We believe that the UN is the only universal international organisation. Today it is a key element in the entire international system. That is how we approach the work of this organisation and the problems associated with its development.

I am very glad to see you, dear Mr Secretary-General. We are pleased to have this chance to talk to you about current activities and the prospects for development.

Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-Moon: Mr President!

It is a great honour to meet with you again. As you know, we recently had the opportunity to speak briefly in Bucharest. And now I come to Moscow as Secretary-General of the UN. You will recall that immediately after I was elected to this post, I visited Russia and met with you in the Kremlin.

I want to thank you for the support and continued cooperation you and your country have given the United Nations, and pay my respects to you.

I hope that during this visit we will be able to discuss with you, the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs [Sergei Lavrov] and the country's top officials the major issues of concern to the United Nations and all humanity. I am counting on your support and cooperation in the future.

I would like to point out the enormous contribution you have made: under your leadership, the Russian Federation has taken its place on the international scene, and you have significantly enhanced its role in the eyes of the international community.