Putin meets with IAEA Director General

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia supports the IAEA's activity.

I hope the IAEA will boost its activity, the Russian president said receiving the IAEA Director General, Mohamed ElBaradei in the Kremlin on Tuesday.

Russia will do everything possible to back the activity of the IAEA, said the head of state.

Putin thinks it very important that the IAEA activity does not depend on the political situation.

Mr. Putin said that the IAEA has become a very prestigious and powerful organization that fulfills a very important function and enjoys great authority in the world.

In his turn, ElBaradei said: "The backing of Russia is of key importance for us in all directions of our activity."

In his words, this includes peaceful development of the nuclear power industry and nonproliferation regimes.

"We hope that production of peaceful nuclear energy will be boosted, as it is very important for all countries of the world."

In this connection, the IAEA Director General specially stressed the necessity of a peaceful nature of nuclear power use, with its military application totally ruled out.

Mr. ElBaradei expressed the hope that during his stay in Russia the sides will be able to expand cooperation and get some useful advice.

Vladimir Putin said Russia needed IAEA advice as well as the IAEA needed Russia's.

Mr. ElBaradei thanked Mr. Putin for the possibility to visit Russia again and meet with the head of the Russian state.

"Today morning, we had very constructive meetings in Moscow. Later in the day, I am leaving for St. Petersburg, where I also hope to conduct constructive meetings," said the head of the IAEA.

Mr. Putin said he was sure that the stay of the IAEA Director General in Moscow and St. Petersburg will be interesting. "You know that we supported the Agency's activity and your personal activity in a very enthusiastic way," said the president.

Russian Security Council Secretary Igor Ivanov, Federal Atomic Energy Agency head Alexander Rumyantsev, and Sergei Kislyak, the deputy Russian Foreign Minister, are taking part in the meeting as well.