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President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev: Mr President,

I would like to thank you for accepting the invitation to participate in today's event. It was naturally informal, but nevertheless good, and has already become a tradition. It enables us not only to watch the races but also to communicate, and for state leaders that is important.

We will already have a full-value meeting very soon and we are preparing for it; I hope that we will be able to discuss all the issues, participate in the very important event connected with the opening of the Sangtuda hydroelectric power station, talk about regional problems, the development of trade and economic relations, and investments. Therefore I consider our meeting today against the background of preparations for my working visit to Tajikistan.

President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon: Many thanks for the invitation to the races.

It is true that your working visit will occur in 12 days and this is of great importance for our region as four of us shall meet. Our colleagues the President of Afghanistan and the President of Pakistan will come as well.

You are well-aware of the events in our region, especially in Afghanistan and Pakistan. We have the longest external border, and it is not only the border between Tajikistan and Afghanistan but also the southern border of the Commonwealth of Independent States. I think that – as you noted – we shall participate together in launching the first such project [the Sangtuda hydroelectric power station] in the history of the post-Soviet territory. It is very powerful project – 670 MW. It will enable us to minimize the problems we have with providing the population with electric power.

This year will be very fruitful for our mutual relations and we hope for great successes in the development of our cooperation.

Dmitry Medvedev: We have very good relations but we need to make them even closer and more productive.