Mr Prime Minister, ladies and gentlemen,

I am glad to welcome you to the 13th session of the French-Russian Bilateral Cooperation Commission in Sochi. I am sure our work will be successful and effective.

Our optimism is justified. We have been very successful with the implementation of large joint initiatives. Trade and economic cooperation between our countries is developing. Trade turnover is constantly increasing.

Dialogue between Russian and French business is becoming very active with good results. I think our mutual concern is to secure "most-favoured nation status" between our countries.

Economic cooperation between Russia and France is based on two powerful components - energy and high technology. Our countries have great potential in these areas, and a competitive advantage, which in turn secures their positions in world markets.

In connection with this, I would like to note the cooperation between Gazprom and Total in their ambitious project - development of the Shtokman field. INTER RAO UES and Electricite de France are also becoming strategic partners.

The realisation of a French-Russian space programme, including the use of Soyuz spacecraft on Kourou, is proceeding according to schedule. In addition, the Russian United Aircraft Building Corporation and EADC have agreed on joint plans.

More and more new French companies that come to the Russian market have long-term investment plans. Alstom, Alcatel, VINCI and many other French companies invest not only in the projects of the Moscow Region, but, as we have just heard at the meeting with businessmen, in many regions of Russian Federation.

Additionally, the interest of Russian and French companies in so-called "cross-point capitalisation" seems to be very promising.

I should also mention well-established contacts in the field of nuclear energy; we rely on the progress in this sphere, as well as in transport, road construction, information technology and telecommunications.

We have great expectations in agriculture. We pay special attention to the modernising of the agricultural complex. Your high level of agricultural technology is well known. This provides a comfortable climate for future cooperation.

We also hope to stimulate the partnership in education, research and other innovations. Certainly, the future of Russian-French dialogue will be impossible without enrichment of our cultural cooperation, especially, taking into account the preparations of the Year of Russia in France and the Year of France in Russia.

Colleagues, today we have listened to the reports on almost all key issues of our cooperation. I have no doubt the agreements achieved during the work of the Commission will contribute to consolidation of Russia-French cooperation, and further development of economic and cultural cooperation in the European region.

Thank you. Mr Prime Minister, please.

Francois Fillon (as translated): Mr Prime Minister, ladies and gentlemen,

First of all, I would like to thank you for your invitation to Sochi. This 13th session of the French-Russian Bilateral Cooperation Commission fits well into our close cooperation. You were in Paris on May, 29 to prepare a meeting. President Sarkozy has been to Moscow twice because of the Caucasian crisis.

As we talked yesterday evening, we are going to have open dialogue with Russia, a close dialogue of true partners. Certainly, the partners can have different opinions, but the most important thing is to overcome the difference, develop contacts and conduct talks. Dialogue is a necessity. It is a symbol which unites us.

France and the European Union will have cooperation with Russia which will be based on confidence. The crisis has shown that dialogue, consent, cooperation and mutual understanding are very important. Our cooperation will be based on this foundation.

As Russia and France are actors in globalisation, they are able to use all its benefits. But there are also disadvantages. This is, in particular, connected with the recent financial crisis.

Russia is the most important partner for France. We would like to maintain our cooperation in aviation, the space sector, energy, the transport sector, technology, education and culture. We should contribute to the development of trade and investment between our companies, like the projects between EADS and UAC, Gazprom and Total, Societe Generale and Rosbank, Renault and AvtoVAZ.

France and Russia are partners, and we have a long history to our partnership. Our cultures have contributed to each other. This year the Bolshoi Theatre's performers have again appeared in Paris with Eugene Onegin.

I think this expresses our wish to reaffirm our cooperation.

Several years ago we started big projects, which have started to materialise. This enables us to make up for the leeway in the space sector, energy, transport, climate control and energy safety.

I am glad to have an opportunity to discuss this situation with the ministers.

Vladimir Putin: Mr Prime Minister, in your opening remarks you mentioned the questions of space cooperation. I would like to start our discussion with this question.