SEOUL, March 26 (Itar-Tass) — Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Monday he believed his seventh meeting with his South Korean counterpart Lee Myung-bak was another proof of the high level of development of the bilateral relations.
“I am very glad to meet you again, after our meetings in St. Petersburg last November,” Lee Myung-bak said greeting his Russian counterpart on the sideline of the Nuclear Security Summit. “I am thankful to the Russian side for its contribution to the summit.”
“As far as can remember, this is our seventh meeting with President Medvedev, so we have become close friends,” the South Korean leader said.
Russia and South Korea, in his words, have considerably developed their cooperation in the recent years. Despite the global crisis, Russia has demonstrated high rates of economic development, he noted. “I think it has become possible thanks to President Medvedev’s personal qualities,” he said.
The Russian president, in turn, noted that his seventh meeting with President Lee Myung-bank is “an evidence of unprecedented high activity level in relations between the two countries and of a friendly nature of personal relations between us.”
“We have met rather often in the past several years. And it has brought about positive results. Our trade turnover is at a record high level (more than 20 billion U.S. dollars – Itar-Tass), which is especially important in the period of economic turmoil,” Medvedev said.
“I would like to note your personal contribution to the development of trade, humanitarian and other relations between our countries,” he stressed.
The Russian leader also expressed confidence that the Seoul Nuclear Security Summit will be held “at a high level.”