President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev: Vladimir Nikolayevich,
It is a pleasure to welcome you to the Moscow Region. Our meeting today is a working meeting, but that does not make it any less important. Let’s talk about developing the relations between Russia and Moldova.
I think that our relations have been showing very good and consistent growth, especially of late. Our bilateral trade turnover showed quite a good increase last year, and what is especially pleasing is that this increase was not due to rising energy prices, but resulted from growth in the substance and quality of our trade.
Of course, the crisis means that this year will not be easy, but I hope that through our joint efforts, we will maintain the pace and will find new areas for work, and interesting new economic projects that, I think, will benefit both our countries.
It is also very good to see that our humanitarian ties continue to expand. Just recently, on February 24, the Russian Academic and Cultural Centre opened in Chisinau. This is a good event, a cause for celebration. I think it will also help to develop our relations. And so, I wish you a sincere welcome.
President of Moldova Vladimir Voronin: Thank you, Dmitry Anatolyevich. Thank you for the invitation, and for the chance to have this meeting with you.
This meeting has personal significance for me, because in 2001, when I had just been elected President, I made my first visit to the Russian Federation, to Moscow, and met with Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. Now, after eight years as President, my mandate is coming to an end in a few days, and I think that with the elections, and various affairs to take care of, I will not have the time to go anywhere.
Dmitry Medvedev: You never know.
Vladimir Voronin: The situation in Moldova is stable today. Of course, all the different political forces always become more active during the election period, but in our view, this election campaign is going better than the last one, and is taking place in a democratic and civilised fashion, and I think that it will stay this way to the end.
But no matter what happens, our relations have their own framework, their own perspectives, and I think that today’s meeting will help us to better define their future prospects.
Dmitry Medvedev: Good, Vladimir Nikolayevich. Let’s discuss all of these matters now.