The Head of State’s greeting reads in particular:
“I would like to welcome all of the conference participants, who represent the large Georgian community in Russia. Your meeting has particular significance, given that Russian-Georgian intergovernmental relations are currently undergoing real challenges.
Russia has always been and continues to be attached to centuries-long traditions of good neighbourly relations and camaraderie with our friends, the Georgian people. We sincerely want to see Georgia become a stable, independent, genuinely democratic country – a country living in peace and security, maintaining friendly relations with all other countries.
Close cultural and humanitarian ties are an inherent part of our mutual history. Direct personal relations and cooperation between non-governmental organizations play an exceedingly important role in strengthening mutual understanding and trust. I would like to particularly note the enormous significance of close relations between the Russian and Georgian Orthodox Churches in working to strengthen the spiritual intercommunity between our peoples.
I hope that your forum will make an important contribution to creating a positive atmosphere in the relations between Russia and Georgia.”