President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev: I am happy to be meeting with you today. I suppose that these meetings are turning into a good tradition. During these, as well as your ministerial meetings, there are discussions on issues of international security, European security, and bilateral cooperation.
Most importantly, in the course of these meetings, you regularly address a wide range of the most difficult, burning questions on the international agenda. I hope that you will tell me about the results you have reached.
As for the current situation, I think that everything is going well in the relations between Russia and France. We communicate at two levels: the presidential level and the government level. Not long ago, the French Prime Minister [Francois Fillon] took part in our conference and made a very good speech on security issues. Naturally, we spoke and discussed our current bilateral situation.
The most delicate and complicated issues on the international agenda were also covered quite recently during the G20 summit and the UN General Assembly. I hope that these issues were brought up during today’s discussions as well – it is clear which matters are most relevant now. I feel we are at the threshold of new agreements on international security matters, including ones regarding European security. The initiative presented by the Russian Federation is still on the table, and I hope it continues to be under discussion. We are counting on France to participate in these processes.
But there is much more at stake than just this initiative. There is a whole set of difficult problems which we discuss regularly during special consultations: the Middle East peace process, the problem of Iran’s nuclear programme, North Korea, and a whole range of other challenges where Russia and France must coordinate their positions. Thus, I hope that today, you will be able to advance these aspects of our relations.
I want to once again welcome our French friends to Moscow. I hope that you will now brief me on the outcomes of your talks.
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