PRESS-RELEASE � 12����������������������������������������������� ������� ������������������April 22, 2005

Russian president vladimir Putin accepts credentialS

of new ambassador of republic of Korea to russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted credentials of seven new ambassadors to Russia. The ceremony was held at the St.Alexander Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace on April 20, 2005.

Credentials to the Russian head of state handed the ambassadors of the Republic of Korea � Kim Jae Sup, Equatorial Guinea, Sri Lanka, Malta, Namibia, Slovenia and Latvia.

The President said Moscow is pursuing �a pragmatic multi-vector foreign policy� and called on the new foreign ambassadors to Russia �to enrich cooperation with new initiatives�. �Russia�s pragmatic multi-vector policy today opens new opportunities for bilateral and multilateral cooperation and I hope that the states you represent will appraise them deservedly,� the Russian head of state said.

Putin believes �the prospects for our bilateral cooperation and its possible enrichment with new initiatives and projects largely depend� on the diplomatic missions representatives in Moscow. He also urged to remember the World War II lessons that �should serve unity of all states on the planet in the fight against modern threats and the most dangerous of them � terrorism�. �Russia is pursuing a firm policy aimed at the unification of efforts of the international community in the fight against terrorism,� the President stressed.

Putin is convinced that �only combining efforts we will be able to form effective multilateral mechanisms of ensuring global stability and security, only together we will be able to create the mechanisms that should become the key factor of progressive development and creative cooperation of states in the 21^st century�.

�Our meeting is held on the threshold of the significant date � the 60^th anniversary of the World War II end,� Putin told the ambassadors. The Russian President said, �for us it is the day symbolizing the triumph of the people�s spirit in the fight for freedom and independence of our country, for the right of all peoples of the world to freely choose their development path�.

The President called for the development of partnership between Russia and the Republic of Korea. �It is important for us that our relations are now attaining the level of versatile multifaceted partnership and we regard this as an important component of successful socio-economic development of the whole region, as well as the solution of international security problems,� the Russian President said accepting credentials from the South Korean ambassador. Putin said the development of friendly relations with the Republic of Korea is �one of priorities in Russia�s diplomatic activities in the Asia-Pacific region�.

Putin congratulated the ambassadors on the official beginning of their diplomatic mission in Russia and wished them �fruitful and effective work in Moscow�.

�I�m certain that all your promising initiatives will be understood and supported by the Russian colleagues�, the President said. He also hopes the ambassadors� stay in Moscow will be �useful and pleasant� for them and their families.