Opening address:
Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, Mr [Prime Minister Taro] Aso, Mr [Moscow Mayor Yuri] Luzhkov, participants in the Conference.
I am happy to welcome here heads of Japanese prefectures and heads of the Russian constituent regions. This Conference symbolises the beginning of a new stage in the direct dialogue between Russian and Japanese regions.
I would like to use this occasion to thank Mr Aso and Mr Luzhkov, who represent the National Governors Council of Japan and the Russian 21st Century Committee, which initiated such meetings. The Governments of Russia and Japan strongly support this initiative.
Interregional ties have been an inalienable and crucial part of Russian-Japanese relations for decades. Interaction between Russian regions, territories and republics, and Japanese prefectures is developing successfully in all fields, just as stipulated in the Russian-Japanese Action Plan adopted in 2003.
Through joint efforts, we have greatly invigorated trade and economic cooperation at the regional level, and corresponding legislation is being strengthened. Ties between regional leaders are becoming regular, and cultural contacts are expanding.
We are highlighting exchanges between NGOs, the elements of civil society without which we cannot develop trust and understanding between our people, including as regards the development of a positive environment for the solution of complicated problems we inherited from the past.
There are many examples of friendly and even fraternal assistance in the history of relations between Russian and Japanese regions. I am convinced that the Sakhalin Region will never forget the generosity and gallantry of the Hokkaido administration and doctors, who promptly and willingly accept emergency patients from Sakhalin for treatment in their hospitals, for example patients with burns or victims of natural disasters.
I believe that the task of promoting cooperation between Russian and Japanese regions, above all economic cooperation, is becoming especially important now. This is a crucial factor that can stimulate socio-economic development and help us to overcome the consequences of the global financial and economic crisis.
I am convinced that we can help each other out if we use ties between our regions and the advantages of regional integration.
The development of direct relations between our regions can, in part, create the environment for implementing joint project, and therefore boost relations between our businesses, above all small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as create new jobs, which is especially important now.
Therefore, there are reasons to regard the strengthening and deepening of relations between Russian regions and Japanese prefectures, their expansion and improvement of the forms of their cooperation as the driving force of the development of Russian-Japanese relations. This Conference is an important event; it inspires us to think that Russian and Japanese Governors will continue to promote this process. I sincerely hope that your joint events such as this meeting will become regular.
I would like to wish you success in your joint work and to thank you once again for organising this event.
Thank you very much.
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Closing address:
Thank you very much for inviting me to this meeting.
I really expect your joint work to be effective and to promote understanding between our countries.
Japanese colleagues are already asking practical questions regarding cooperation, in particular joint work in Siberia, an important region for Russia. I do not quite understand how this can be connected with the redemption of US Treasuries. We have invested a great deal in different securities too. I would say that the US Administration is acting responsibly regarding investment obligations, in particular Russian investments. We hope it will continue to act in the same spirit.
As for possible joint projects in Siberia and also in European Russia, in southern Russia and in Russia's Far East - I will address the issue later today - there is a growing scope of possibilities to attract our partners and friends from many countries, including Japan. I hope our Japanese friends will feel this today.
Thank you very much, and good luck.