The telegram reads, in part:
"ITAR-TASS history dates back to the day that the St Petersburg Telegraph Agency was established. The Agency was the first information channel of its kind in Russia, and you maintain these high standards of leadership to this day.
"Today, ITAR-TASS is an integral part of global media. It is both a major and an authoritative source. Reliability, timeliness and comprehensiveness of reporting are the agency's undeniable competitive advantages. And the agency's ever-remarkable personnel training is a guarantee of the high degree of professionalism and creative potential of the agency's workforce.
"I am convinced that you will continue to be successful in the Russian media market, effectively positioning our country in the global media landscape."