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Prime Minister Vladimir Putin meets with Bouasone Bouphavanh, prime minister of Laos

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The transcript of the beginning of the meeting:

Vladimir Putin: Mr Prime Minister, I would like to thank you once again for coming to St Petersburg. We share the common problem of tiger preservation, but have very different weather. I think St Petersburg’s weather is a bit extreme for you.

Regarding our bilateral relations, I would like to note that Laos and Russia have been bound by a strong friendship for over 50 years now. And of course, we should act to invigorate our contact, above all in trade and in the economy.

A visit by the President is being prepared for early next year, and we hope this preparation will provide the opportunity to review the full spectrum of our relations and map out steps to further develop our ties. Many of our companies, I mean Russian companies, are showing an interest in Laos and their partners. These include VimpelCom and some others. We have good reason to see what has been achieved in recent years and thus to outline steps for the future.

Bouasone Bouphavanh (as translated): I am very pleased to meet with you today. I am happy to tell you that it was a pleasure coming to this forum on the protection of tigers.

I would like to convey greetings from President Choummaly Sayasone of Laos personally to you and to Mr Medvedev through you.

I fully agree with you that the history of our relationship has been 50 years of friendship and cooperation. Just one month ago, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of these relations. For us, it is an important date.

On behalf of the Laotian government, I would like to thank you for the invaluable assistance rendered in the past by the Soviet Union and Soviet people and now by Russia, in liberating the country and in various construction programmes.

We believe that the relations between our countries will forge ahead with a positive dynamic.

I also wish to thank you for the invitation sent to the Laotian president to visit Russia early next year.