Prime Minister Vladimir Putin met with Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany during the second round of Russian-Hungarian intergovernmental consultations. 

Transcript of the beginning of their meeting:

Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues. We are happy to welcome you at the intergovernmental consultations in Moscow.

We have developed a good tradition, which has proven successful and effective. We use a similar mechanism in relations with Germany, France, China and several other countries. It was a wise decision to hold extended consultations.

We are now reaping its results. Over the past six years that you have chaired the Hungarian Government, Hungarian exports to Russia increased nine-fold and bilateral trade soared to a record high, $13 billion. Russia has become Hungary's second largest trade and economic partner after Germany.

We are happy to see you and all your colleagues here.

Ferenc Gyurcsany (as translated): Mr Prime Minister, friends. A major breakthrough has been made in Russian-Hungarian relations over the past few years. But our main achievement is our approach to tackling problems, which is pragmatic and practical.

The results we have attained over the past few years show that this is a correct approach, by and large. But it would be wrong to focus only on economic relations. In the European Union, Hungary represents a view according to which relations with Russia should be developed as a strategic partnership.

These relations should be based on a regular dialogue conducted at a high political level. They should exceed the framework of economic and cultural issues to embrace also foreign policy and international security. This does not mean that we agree on all issues. Of course, there are issued on which our opinions differ, but this is only natural.

I believe that it was thanks to a large personal contribution by Mr Prime Minister that our countries are now developing much closer relations. Many symbolic and practical steps have been taken, such as the return of the Sarospatak book collection. Hungarians will never forget it.

Vladimir Putin: I don't think this is the last move we have taken. We have discussed that and other problems. There is not a single thing we cannot agree on.