Mr Medvedev said in particular in his telegram:
You are well known in our country and abroad as an influential and highly-educated religious leader firm and consistent in defending the true values of Islam. Your noble educational mission is to help strengthen the moral foundations of society through the faith, goodness and justice spread by Islam and the other world religions present in our country.
I am sure that your constructive work as chairman of the Central Spiritual Directorate of Muslims of Russia will continue to help organise broad-based dialogue between the civilisations and educate people in a spirit of tolerance, peace and respect for each other’s interests.”