• Events
• Point of View
• Multimedia

• Prime Minister of the Russian Federation
• Photo Gallery

• Working Day
• Visits within Russia

• International Visits
• Press Conferences

Vladimir Putin sent New Year’s greetings to foreign leaders

print

In his message to President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, Mr Putin expressed his belief that Russia and Azerbaijan in 2009 would continue to strengthen their friendship and good-neighbourly relations and expand productive and mutually beneficial cooperation, which met the interests of Russia and Azerbaijan and served the cause of peace and security in the Caucasus.

In his greetings to Prime Minister Artur Rasizade of Azerbaijan, Mr Putin expressed confidence that cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan in bilateral relations would expand and deepen for the benefit of the two countries.

After wishing a merry Christmas and a happy New Year to President Serge Sargsyan of Armenia, Mr Putin emphasised the continuity of their mutual policy of strengthening Russian-Armenian allied partnership and expressed his belief that mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia and Armenia would continue to develop for the good of their peoples and in the interests of peace and security in the South Caucasus.

Addressing Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisyan of Armenia, Mr Putin noted considerable progress made in strengthening multi-faceted bilateral ties and confirmed his confidence that joint efforts would multiply the positive results of partnership cooperation.

In a message of greetings to President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus, Mr Putin said he was satisfied with the stable progress in allied relations in 2008, when the strategic line towards Russian-Belarusian integration received a further boost.

Extending season's greetings to Prime Minister Sergei Sidorsky of Belarus, Mr Putin expressed his confidence that close Russian-Belarusian cooperation would develop dynamically in the interests of social and economic growth and the prosperity of the peoples of Russia and Belarus.

After extending heartfelt season's greetings to President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan, Mr Putin noted that 2008 saw important achievements in Russian-Kazakh relations, dynamic contacts at high and top levels, growth of mutual trade, more active cross-border cooperation and deepening of humanitarian cooperation. Mr Putin expressed confidence that Russia and Kazakhstan would make new achievements in strengthening good-neighbourly relations, strategic partnership, friendship and productive cooperation in every field.

In extending season's greetings to his Kazakh counterpart, Karim Masimov, Mr Putin stressed the need for joint efforts to give a fresh impulse to the progressive development of bilateral relations.

Addressing President Kurmanbek Bakiyev of Kyrgyzstan, Mr Putin expressed confidence that the multi-sided Russian-Kyrgyz partnership would continue in the coming year for the benefit of the two countries and in the interests of stability and security.

Mr Putin also extended seasonal greetings to Prime Minister Igor Chudinov of Kyrgyzstan. His message said, in part: "I am convinced that further expansion of bilateral cooperation will contribute to the harmonious development of the two economies in the interests of the people of Russia and Kyrgyzstan."

In a message to President Vladimir Voronin of Moldova, Mr Putin expressed his conviction that multi-faceted political, trade and economic cooperation between the two countries would continue to develop on the principles of strategic partnership and in the spirit of centuries-old traditions of friendship and mutual understanding between the people of Russia and Moldova.

In a message of greetings to Moldovan Prime Minister Zinaida Greceanii, Mr Putin expressed the hope that mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia and Moldova would further develop in 2009 and the potential already gained and cooperation expanding on all aspects of bilateral relations would help to strengthen bilateral trade and economic ties.

In a message of greetings to President Emomali Rakhmon of Tajikistan, Mr Putin stressed his confidence that productive bilateral cooperation would strengthen for the benefit of Russia and Tajikistan and in the interests of security in Central Asia.

In his greetings to Prime Minister Akil Akilov of Tajikistan, after noting the progress made in developing the bilateral partnership in 2008, Mr Putin voiced his conviction that traditional friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia and Tajikistan would further develop in the coming year.

Addressing President and Prime Minister Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov of Turkmenistan, Mr Putin expressed his confidence that their joint efforts in 2009 would give an additional impulse to relations between Russia and Turkmenistan and raise bilateral cooperation to a higher level for the benefit of the people of the two countries and stability and security in Central Asia.

In a message to President Islam Karimov of Uzbekistan, Mr Putin expressed his satisfaction with the dynamics of Russian-Uzbek cooperation, and growth of trade and economic ties. "I am confident that productive and all-round cooperation between our nations will grow and strengthen because it fully meets the interests of our peoples," said the message.

Mr Putin also sent seasonal greetings to his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev, expressing confidence that multifaceted relations of strategic partnership and alliance between Russia and Uzbekistan based on traditional friendship of the people of the two countries would develop dynamically and serve as an important factor for stability and security in Central Asia.

After wishing a happy New Year and a merry Christmas to President Viktor Yushchenko of Ukraine, Mr Putin wished that the year 2009 could become a year of trust and understanding between the two nations and further strengthen Russian-Ukrainian ties based on the principles of partnership, pragmatism and mutual benefit.

In a message to Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko of Ukraine, Mr Putin expressed his confidence that trade and economic ties between Russia and Ukraine would further develop in 2009 for the good of the two nations.

Addressing President Sergei Bagapsh of Abkhazia, Mr Putin emphasised that the most important events in Abkhazia's history that took place in 2008 - Russia's recognition of its independence and establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries - met the aspirations of Russia and Abkhazia and the interests of peace and security in the region.

In a message of greetings to Prime Minister Alexander Ankvab of Abkhazia, Mr Putin stressed that Russia's recognition of Abkhazia's independence opened a new page in bilateral relations and created pre-conditions for multifaceted and mutually beneficial cooperation.

In his greeting to Eduard Kokoity, President of the Republic of South Ossetia, Mr Putin said that 2008 was a landmark year in the republic's development, also marking the beginning of multifaceted cooperation between Russia and South Ossetia to benefit both nations.

In his message to Aslambek Bulatsev, head of South Ossetia's Government, Mr Putin expressed firm conviction that the two nations would further develop friendship, good-neighbourly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation in 2009.

Addressing Brazilian President Luis Inácio Lula da Silva, Mr Putin emphasised closer cooperation on the international arena, and more intensive and trustful political dialogue between Russia and Brazil to honour the 180th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. "I am convinced that next year will open up new opportunities to boost broad cooperation for the benefit of both nations, and for the sake of upholding global peace and security," the message reads.

Mr Putin also sent greetings to Brazilian Vice-President José Alencar da Silva emphasising mutual plans to promote dynamic and progressive development of interstate ties.

In his greetings to Gordon Brown, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Mr Putin expressed hope that Russian-British relations would develop successfully in 2009 to benefit both nations and to promote security and stability in Europe.

In his message of greetings to German Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel, Mr Putin said he was satisfied with progressive development of bilateral relations and emerging partnership aimed at modernising political, trade, economic, research and technology, cultural and humanitarian interaction. He also underlined the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation for the sake of both countries' harmonious development, of expanding dialogue between the two civil societies, and of upholding European security and stability.

In his greetings to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Mr Putin emphasised the traditional close ties of friendship and mutually advantageous cooperation in various areas between Russia and India. He also said that Russian-Indian strategic partnership has grown stronger and was gaining momentum. He added that 2009 was to be the Year of India in Russia.

In his message to Prime Minister of the Italian Republic Silvio Berlusconi, Mr Putin underlined that Russian-Italian cooperation was indeed a strategic partnership in many areas such as in the international arena, political dialogue, trade and economic relations, and cultural and humanitarian projects. The Russian Prime Minister added that the partnership is based on both nations' determination to build up friendship, which stems from centuries-old spiritual and cultural affinity, a commonality of world outlook and complementary nature of the two economies.

In his message to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the Russian Prime Minister expressed hope for further development of Russian-Canadian ties in 2009, including trade and economic cooperation, and investment projects.

In his greetings to Chinese President Hu Jintao, Mr Putin said Russian-Chinese strategic partnership was growing consistently stronger, based on the two countries' national interests and reflecting shared approaches to important international and regional issues.

Mr Putin also sent greetings to Wen Jiabao, Premier of China's State Council, expressing conviction that Russian-Chinese contacts would continue dynamic development next year and the two countries would see a higher level of mutual trust and support. The Russian Prime Minister said he hoped that the Year of the Russian Language announced in China for 2009 would be a truly high-profile event that would greatly enrich bilateral cooperation.

In his greetings to US President George W. Bush, Mr Putin said that, although Russian-US relations sometimes failed to meet expectations, we still successfully preserved the achievements made. In addition to tangible results in bilateral cooperation in many important areas, he said the new leaders of Russia and the United States have inherited a solid and reliable "roadmap", referring to the Sochi Declaration setting forth a framework for strategic cooperation. Russia and the United States could reach higher results on this basis, he added.

In his message to US President Elect Barack Obama, the Russian Prime Minister expressed a sincere wish that Russia and the United States would develop a true partnership, which would benefit both countries and lead them to meet common goals, including greater global stability and security, and acceptable solutions to global problems.

In his greetings to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, the Russian Prime Minister expressed hope for further productive cooperation between Russia and France, in bilateral and global formats.

In his message to his French counterpart, Francois Fillon, Mr Putin said he supported further consolidation of Russian-French strategic partnership in politics, economic relations, culture and other traditional areas of bilateral contacts.

In his greetings to Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso, Mr Putin praised the dynamic development of bilateral relations and expressed hope for further progress in the development of an effective partnership to meet both countries' national interests and boost stability and security in the Asia-Pacific region.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin also sent season's greetings to heads of state and government of Argentina, Hungary, Venezuela, Greece, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Spain, Qatar, Cuba, Libya, Mongolia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Turkey, Finland and other countries.