Opening Remarks With Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov

FOREIGN MINISTER IVANOV: Mr. Secretary of State, I am glad to welcome you and all those accompanying you to Moscow. This is our first meeting in this 2004 year. Last year, I believe that through our joint efforts we managed to move forward successfully in all directions of our bilateral relations. In the course of the last year’s summit in Camp David between President Bush and President Putin, conclusions were drawn and further steps were outlined to develop Russian-American relations. Today we have a good opportunity to discuss the areas where we manage to coordinate in our relations, as well as the areas where additional efforts are needed to be taken to develop our relationship successfully. Because we have to keep in mind that our strategic goals are common: building a democratic and secure world order, ad in this context our cooperation should compliment our efforts to this goal. So, again, welcome to Moscow.

SECRETARY POWELL: Thank you, Mr. Minister. It’s a great pleasure to be back in Moscow again to this room that I have spent many hours working in. And I certainly share your assessment that our bilateral relationship is on a very solid foundation. And I think we can all take heart from the very fine meeting that our two Presidents held at Camp David last fall. And they gave us solid instructions to do everything we can, not just at the Foreign Ministry level, but between all the Ministers of our two governments, to expand and deepen our cooperation in all areas. I look forward to a full day and a half of discussions with you and your associates and President Putin on matters of a bilateral nature, regional matters, matters of peacekeeping throughout the world, and also to move forward in those areas where we still need to do additional work. As I said to a number of interviewers lately, (inaudible) that we speak to one another candidly and honestly about what we (inaudible).

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