Vladimir Putin Congratulates German Leadership On Day Of German Unity

President Putin of Russia has sent a message of congratulation to Federal President of Germany Johannes Rau and Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on the occasion of the Federal Republic's national holiday, Day of German Unity. The press service of the head of the Russian state reported on Wednesday that the message, in part, says the following: "During the period that has passed since Germany's re-unification, our countries have carried out a lot of fruitful work that has made it possible to raise the ties between Russia and Germany to a qualitatively new level, and to strengthen their genuinely good-neighbourly and partner relations. "During my recent state visit to Germany I had again the chance of seeing this for myself, and feeling the interest of the citizens of your country in the further deepening of Russian-German ties that are developing on the basis of universal values of democracy and freedom, mutual trust and historical reconciliation. The meaningful constructive meetings on German soil have confirmed the correctness of our joint line towards the formation of relations of friendship, mutual support and productive cooperation between Russia and Germany in the interests of the peoples of our countries, of Europe and the world as a whole."