Official website of the President of Russia

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President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev: Mr Prime Minister!

I would like to warmly welcome you to the Kremlin. I am happy to see you, especially since a significant part of your programme has been completed and we have attained the results we were hoping for.

I would like to say that we are quite satisfied with the level of cooperation that has been achieved between our countries and between the governments of our countries, our constant contacts and, of course, the results that this all leads to: in particular, a growth in turnover last year of nearly two thirds, and various projects, many of them related to energy sector, but not exclusively. And, of course, the agreement that has just been signed [following the results of Russian-Hungarian intergovernmental consultations], the baseline agreement on South Stream [the project to build a gas pipeline on the bottom of the Black Sea from Novorossiysk (Russia) to Varna (Bulgaria) and on to Italy and Austria] – this is a major step forward in specifying out work. This makes us really happy.

Since the last time we met, quite a bit of time has passed, and many changes have taken place in Europe and in the world. Currently, there are issues that you and I work on actively: in addition to bilateral cooperation, this also includes the creation of a new architecture for international financial security (the upcoming meeting in London will be devoted to this topic) and, in general, a great deal of problems on either a European or worldwide level. I suggest that we discuss them today as well.

Prime Minister of Hungary Ferenc Gyurcsany (as translated into Russian): Thank you, Mr President, for providing this opportunity for us to meet.

It is no secret that we have come here in part because we want to continue strengthening our relations under your presidency. If I am not mistaken, you have just celebrated your first anniversary of being sworn in as president.

Dmitry Medvedev: You are not mistaken, it was yesterday. I remember it quite well.

Ferenc Gyurcsany: I am happy to say that the process of improving relations between our countries, which began in 2002, is still continuing today. In truth, the global financial crisis has almost exclusively negative effects, and very few positive ones. However, it can be said that one positive outcome is that the crisis teaches us how interconnected we are.

I will make no secret of the fact that, in our view, the initial statements being made by the new American administration are encouraging in that international relations will develop in a more positive way. I think that now, after last year’s arguments within Europe, the majority of politicians feels that it is imperative to build a strategic partnership with Russia. We held this stance before, although earlier, we had to argue this point with more of our partners than today. It is nice when we do not have to fight on all fronts.

Dmitry Medvedev: You were able to use arguments that turned out to be quite serious and powerful.