President Vladimir Putin: Mr Prime Minister,
I would like to begin by saying how happy I am with the way relations between our two countries are developing.
First, we are preparing to sign a five-year cooperation plan and we have quite ambitious plans for expanding our trade and economic cooperation.
Second, today’s signing of the agreement on visa-free travel for our citizens creates good conditions for contacts between people and for developing tourism. Last year, 100,000 Russian tourists visited Thailand.
I already expressed our condolences over the victims of the tsunami. Now I would like to congratulate you on the speed with which your government has overcome the consequences of this disaster.
I am sure that tourism will bring Thailand considerable revenue, including from tourists from the Russian Federation.
Prime Minister of Thailand Thaksin Shinawatra (translated from Russian): Thank you very much, Mr President.
I am very grateful to you for finding the time to meet with me at such a late hour – I know, after all, that you are very busy.
I think that our meeting and in particular the signing of the agreement [on visa-free travel] are a historic event and will remain in our memories for a long time to come.
First, because they are taking place at such a late hour and second, because we have managed to accomplish this in such a short time. After all, we first raised this issue only a about a-month-and-a-half ago.
This is yet more evidence of how effective the Russian government has become under your presidency.
We welcome tourism in both directions. I think that the new conditions now in place will see more entrepreneurs and businesspeople from Thailand heading to Russia.
I remember my first official visit to Russia in 2003. At that time, bilateral trade between our countries came to $800 million. I know that during the Soviet years we had a trade figure of around $1.7 billion.
At that time I set myself the goal of bringing our trade up to that level within five years. Now we are witnesses to the fact that in just two years we have already exceeded this figure.
Now we have set ourselves the goal of increasing our bilateral trade figure to $5 billion over the next five years. I think we will succeed in reaching this goal earlier.
Vladimir Putin: This will be only to the benefit of our economies and our peoples.
I also remember my visit to your country and the warm hospitality you showed us there. I ask you to pass on my very best wishes to His Majesty the King. I think we will have the pleasure of receiving you and His Majesty again in Russia.