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Mr Medvedev addressed the forum with a speech on opportunities for economic cooperation between Russia and the Asia-Pacific region countries.

Following the talks, the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, who took part in the summit, adopted a declaration assessing key aspects of the association’s cooperation. An agreement on BRICS inter-bank cooperation was also signed in the presence of the summit’s participants.

Dmitry Medvedev and Manmohan Singh discussed trade and economic relations, energy sector and military technical cooperation, cooperation in medicine, telecommunications and transport, and humanitarian ties.

The meeting between Dmitry Medvedev and Jacob Zuma took place on the BRICS summit’s sidelines.

Dmitry Medvedev and Hu Jintao discussed opportunities for promoting the strategic partnership in trade, economy, energy, and the military technical sector, strengthening cooperation between Russia and China within BRICS and the SCO, and also examined international and regional issues, in particular the situation in the Middle East and North Africa.

Dmitry Medvedev gave an interview to China Central Television (CCTV) ahead of his visit to the People's Republic of China. The interview was recorded on April 7.

The ceremony, timed to coincide with the 50^th anniversary of the first manned space flight, was attended by Yury Gagarin’s widow Valentina Gagarina and his two daughters, as well as the first Soviet cosmonauts and space engineers, who were at the forefront of Russia’s space industry.

On the Cosmonautics Day Dmitry Medvedev visited the Mission Control Centre in Korolev, Moscow Region. The President inspected the Centre and spoke with the International Space Station crew.

Dmitry Medvedev and Bronislaw Komorowski paid tribute to the memory of the Smolensk tragedy victims. The heads of state laid wreaths at the monument marking the site of the crash of the Polish presidential plane one year ago.

At a meeting with representatives of various non-governmental organisations managing and spending social projects allocations, Dmitry Medvedev discussed effective spending by NGOs of funds targeted to socially important programmes, and ways to enhance the legislation regulating activities of the NGOs.

Pavel Astakhov submitted a report on the performance of the Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights since his appointment to this post.

Dmitry Medvedev and King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein reviewed the prospects for bilateral relations and current international issues, in particular ways to resolve the crisis in North Africa and the Middle East.

Officers appointed to senior command positions in the law enforcement and security agencies were presented and had their senior military (special) titles conferred at a ceremony held in the Grand Kremlin Palace’s St George Hall.

Salaries, improving workers’ social status, vocational training, economic incentives for employers to improve labour conditions and safety, and monitoring compliance with legislation were the subjects of discussion.

Dmitry Medvedev gave the main outlines for development efforts in the aviation sector over the coming years. Priority tasks include modernising civil aviation airport infrastructure, upgrading civil aviation fleets, raising the quality of air transport services and making them cheaper, and building up the country’s military aviation capability.

Dmitry Medvedev and Sergei Sobyanin discussed ways to address Moscow’s urban planning and transport issues. The Mayor of Moscow also informed the President on the progress of the capital’s healthcare development programme.