VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
Transcript of the beginning of the meeting:
Vladimir Putin: I am pleased to have this opportunity to talk about our bilateral relations today. To begin with, I'd like to say that we were extremely pleased to see a Moldovan military unit at the May 9th parade on Red Square.
We share history, and we share the victory over Nazism. I am sure that the Moldovan public saw it in a positive light.
I know there are problem areas related to the economy, for example Moldovan wine exports to Russia, among others. Of course, I will be glad to discuss all those issues.
Vladimir Filat: Mr Prime Minister, first, I want to thank you for the opportunity to meet.
I would like to resume the conversations we began back in Yalta, and discuss the agreements made since then. I'd also like to point out that the joint meeting of the Intergovernmental Judicial Commission in Chisinau was rather successful.
We came up with solutions to many problems, particularly concerning natural gas. We discussed Transnistria's debt in Yalta. We reached an agreement on it when Valery Golubev [Gazprom deputy chairman of the board] visited Chisinau. We have roughly a month and a half before the deadline we set. We gave ourselves six months to find common ground and to clearly map out how to handle the matter and what we can do about it in the future.
We have discussed other matters as well - in particular, the Transnistria problem and the situation with economic agents. Our confidence building measures have been rather successful. We are taking practical steps to prove that we are willing to negotiate so that we can take decisions that will improve people's lives. Political leaders come and go, but people always need normal living conditions.
We would certainly like to continue to discuss the opening of the import terminal. If I understand correctly, all the documents are in order in St Petersburg to open the north import terminal.
Of course, it is critical for us to settle the matter of registering Moldovan citizens in Russia, because the current arrangement, with a mere three days for registration, causes complications, and there are a lot of questions about it.
On the whole, we are taking a pragmatic and realistic approach to our commitments, as we have agreed. We act with our strategic partnership with Russia in mind.
Mr Prime Minister, from the start I have said that what we are doing should be reviewed and appropriate decisions should be taken. We hope that there will be even greater progress in our relations for the benefit of our nations. Thank you.
