ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
March 16, 2004 Tuesday

Putin receives congratulations on his re-election

MOSCOW

Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to receive numerous
congratulations on his re-election to the highest executive post in
Russia from foreign leaders.

Vladimir Putin and his ARMENIAN counterpart Robert Kocharyan held a
telephone talk, a source in the Russian Presidential press service
told Itar-Tass on Tuesday. The Armenian side initiated the talk to
congratulate Vladimir Putin on “great success in the March 14
presidential election in Russia.”

Kocharyan and Putin also discussed practical issues of the
Russian-Armenian cooperation and situation in the Transcaucasia.

UZBEKISTAN President Islam Karimov telephoned Vladimir Putin on
Tuesday, the source said. During the conversation, Islam Karimov
expressed sincere congratulations to his Russian counterpart on “the
convincing victory in the presidential election.”

The two presidents decided to hold a working meeting in Moscow in
April.

SERBIA and MONTENEGRO President Svetozar Marovic sent a message of
congratulations to Putin on his re-election to presidency.

“I am sure that you, filling this executive post, will continue to
make efforts for the further successful development and prosperity of
friendly Russia for the benefit of all its citizens,” Marovic said in
the message.

A source in the Serbia and Montenegro presidential office conveyed
the message to Itar-Tass.

“The deepening of political dialogue with Russia, development of
many-sided and mutually advantageous cooperation and keeping of
traditionally close contacts between our two states” are of much
importance to Serbia and Montenegro, Marovic said.

JAPANESE Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi phoned Vladimir Putin to
congratulate him on his winning the presidential election, the source
said.

The two parties also discussed the vital issues of bilateral
cooperation in 2004, including the schedule of high-level contacts.

Chairman of CHINA’s Central Military Council (CMC), former president
Jiang Zemin warmly congratulated Vladimir Putin in a telegram on his
re-election to the post of Russian president for the second term.

Former Chinese leader expressed confidence that the joint efforts of
the two parties will ensure still more brilliant prospects for
strategic partnership between China and Russia, Xinhua news agency
reported.

On the previous day, Chinese Chairman Hu Jintao congratulated
Vladimir Putin on a landslide re-election for the second term.