Speech Delivered by the President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar at the Meeting with the Media by the Heads of State of Myanmar and Russia

Your Excellency President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation, members of the two delegations, and all members of the media, Mingalaba! I am visiting Russia on an official visit at the invitation of President Mr Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation. Myanmar and Russia have now marked 78 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations. Russia was among the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Myanmar after the country gained independence. Myanmar and Russia are close and true friends, and we have maintained sound relations based on mutual understanding and respect. In recent years, Myanmar-Russia relations and cooperation have reached their closest and highest level. Frequent meetings and discussions between the leaders of the two countries have been key drivers of bilateral relations. Today’s meeting between President Putin and me has made a significant contribution to maintaining and further advancing the momentum of growing bilateral relations. In addition, we reviewed the implementation of matters discussed and agreed upon between the two countries, as well as the progress of cooperation across various sectors. We were also able to discuss and reach agreements on maintaining the progress already achieved and further expanding cooperation. We also had extensive discussions on prospects for continued cooperation in various fields, including defence, security, agriculture, livestock breeding, industry, education, science and technology, space technology, health and tourism. Now that legislative bodies have also been established in Myanmar, we were able to discuss enhancing cooperation not only between the two governments but also between the respective parliaments. As the visa exemption agreement between the two countries came into effect in January this year, we also discussed prospects for further promoting cooperation in the tourism sector and people-to-people exchanges. During this visit, we signed 12 agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs). We are also coordinating efforts to conclude further agreements on bilateral cooperation across various sectors. Myanmar and Russia have consistently supported each other at the regional and international levels. We exchanged views, discussed current global affairs, and agreed to continue close cooperation on the international stage in future. Your Excellency the President, members of the two delegations, and all members of the media Myanmar is a country strategically located from a geopolitical perspective, with access to large markets in neighbouring countries and abundant natural resources. SEE PAGE 7