MOSCOW, January 1 (Itar-Tass) — Russian President Dmitry Medvedev congratulated foreign chiefs of state and prime ministers on the New Year, the Kremlin said.
In his Christmas and New Year greetings to British Queen Elizabeth II, Medvedev expressed his assuredness that Russian-British cooperation, which had been gaining momentum, would help deepen mutual understanding in 2012.
The message to British Prime Minister David Cameron noted that the declaration of modernization partnership signed during the Russian visit of Cameron became an illustrative example of the wish for “intensification of the political dialog and the formation of a new agenda of Russia-UK relations.” The president is also sure that the year 2012 will witness the continuation of the constructive dialog and weighty results in the implementation of the earlier agreements.
The message to German Federal President Christian Wulff said that the Russian-German strategic partnership continued its sustainable development and remained a pillar of European stability in 2011. The president is confident that multifaceted cooperation between Russia and Germany would continue to develop by common effort on the interstate and public level.
Addressing German Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel, Medvedev said that Russia and German could be proud of the successful implementation of many large projects, such as the startup of the first line of the Nord Stream gas pipeline and the holding of the Russian-German Year of Education, Science and Innovations. He put the emphasis on the active preparations for the cross-years of Russia and Germany due in 2012-2013, which would become joint events of an unprecedented scale.
The message to Indian President Pratibha Devisingh Patil said that the year 2011 saw further deepening of the relations of privileged partnership, which mirrored the dynamic development of multifaceted bilateral relations.
The message to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that his latest visit to Moscow gave an important impetus to the bilateral relations. The president expressed the assuredness that fruitful cooperation with India in topical items of the modern global and regional politics at the UN, the G20, the BRICS Group and other multilateral format would remain an important factor of international stability and security.
The message to Italian President Giorgio Napolitano said that the project of cross-culture and language years unprecedented by its scale was a symbol of 2011. “We attained new boundaries in trade and economic cooperation, including that in high-tech industries, broader exchanges between businessmen, educational and research centers,” he said.
Medvedev congratulated on New Year and Christmas Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti and stressed the importance of the continuation of Russian-Italian relations. He named amongst the priorities “further strengthening of political contacts and broadening of trade and economic relations, such as joint innovative projects.” He expressed the assuredness that the efficient mechanism of interstate consultations would continue to assist the attainment of big goals.
Medvedev sent his greetings to Canadian Governor General David Johnston and Prime Minister Stephen Harper and said that the Russian-Canadian cooperation was sustainable and constructive in 2011 and trade, economic, cultural, sport and scientific contacts were broadening. He accentuated the serious potential of the Russian-Canadian interaction at the G8, the G20, the Arctic Council and the APEC.
Congratulating Chinese President Hu Jintao, Medvedev noted the successful celebrations of the tenth anniversary of the bilateral treaty of neighborliness, friendship and cooperation, the fundamental document, which laid down a solid basis for interstate relations aimed at mutually beneficial cooperation. He stressed the high intensity of the Russia-China political dialog of all levels, which enabled Russia and China to coordinate their positions at such multilateral organizations and formats as the UN, the G20, the APEC, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the BRICS Group of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Medvedev noted the important results achieved in the economic and humanitarian spheres, i.e. the qualitative and quantitative growth of trade, joint high-tech projects and the cross-years of tourism in Russia and China.
The message to French President Nicolas Sarkozy said that the year 2011 was marked with the development of the Russian-French multifaceted relations, much thanks to the cross-years of Russia and France held in 2010 and the launch of a series of promising projects in various spheres. He stressed that the efficient presidency of France at the G8 and the G20 became a weighty factor in the joint struggle for ending the global economic crisis and expressed the assuredness that the joint efficient work would continue.
Medvedev sent his congratulations to Japanese Emperor Akihito and noted the constructive cooperation of Russia and Japan in the interests of friendship, cooperation, stability and security in the Asia Pacific region. The new year will open new vistas for the development of fruitful and mutually beneficial Russian-Japanese relations in politics, trade, economy, humanitarian affairs and culture, the message said.
The message to Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said that the important result of the meeting in Honolulu in November was the confirmation of the mutual wish to deepen the political dialog, trade and economic cooperation. Medvedev said he was certain that the year 2012 would see new weighty achievements in the strengthening of the bilateral relations.