The two presidents discussed opportunities concerning the expansion of bilateral cooperation, in particular, in the field of energy and military technology.
Following the talks, the leaders of the two countries adopted a joint statement on partnership in international affairs. The statement lays emphasis, in part, on coordinating actions in chemical disarmament and chemical non-proliferation, countering terrorism and illegal drug trafficking under the joint action plan on cooperation in the anti-drug struggle in 2018–2020, which was signed by Russia and Bolivia in Vienna in March 2018.
The parties also expressed their readiness to develop cooperation at the political and special services level in countering the illegal use of information and communication technology, transnational organised crime, illegal arms trade, corruption and other challenges and threats to public security.
The two leaders reaffirmed their mutual interest in developing bilateral military and military-technical cooperation and agreed to consolidate joint actions in the peaceful use of nuclear energy under the September 2017 contract on building a centre for nuclear research and technology in Bolivia and expanding cooperation on the training of personnel in this area.
As for the energy sector, the leaders expressed their intention to continue cooperating at the Gas Exporting Countries Forum and emphasised their mutual interest in developing their fuel and energy sectors and their mutual striving to exchange knowledge, experience and technology in the joint implementation of power sector projects.
In addition, the parties agreed to step up the political dialogue and cooperation between Russia and the member states and associated members of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur), as well as between Russia and the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA).
The joint statement also includes the development of tourism, and further contact in culture, education, science, and protection of the environment and water resources, and cooperation on social protection and labour relations.
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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, Mr President, friends. I am very pleased to welcome you to Moscow.
Mr President, our states enjoy great relations, and your country is an important partner of ours in Latin America. Our foreign ministries cooperate closely, and we are working closely with Bolivia at the UN, where your country is currently a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.
We continue to provide training to your students, and are discussing the possibilities of expanding cooperation in the military and technical sphere. We export automotive equipment and medicines to your country. There is room to expand this list.
Gazprom operates at two fields producing 2.5 billion cubic metres of gas. We are now reviewing the possibility of doubling the output.
Rosatom is creating the Atomic Research Centre in your country. So, I am very pleased to note that our relations are expanding, and today we will include all areas of our interaction in a joint statement.
I am very pleased to see you.
President of the Plurinational State of Bolivia Evo Morales (retranslated): Thank you very much, Mr President. I am very pleased to be able to greet you, too.
We cooperate with great success, and our countries are allies. The entire world also admires Russia as the host of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
We have a lot of commonalities in our respective ways of life and universal values. We share basic values such as the heritage of humankind, respect for nature, and Mother Earth. Most importantly, we share your views on nuclear defence. We cooperate in many areas and have common views, I repeat, on universal values.
We are starting an interesting project with Gazprom and Rosatom. Gas production and energy security are critically important topics.
The independence of the South American countries is very important for us. Our cooperation with Russia in this area is very productive.
To reiterate, the subject of gas is very interesting, and we also share an interest in lithium. Due to lack of time and some technical issues, we only briefly touched on this topic.
With regard to the Eurasian Economic Union, we would be very interested in cooperating with it, and I am open to discussing these issues.
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