Pres sends greetings to meeting of Russia, Japan governors.

MOSCOW, May 2 (Itar-Tass) - President Dmitry Medvedev sent a
congratulatory message to a meeting of Russian and Japanese governors, the
presidential press service reported on Sunday.
The message notes, inter alia: "Regional relations are an important
and necessary component of Russian-Japanese contacts. Covering a broad
range of areas - from economic cooperation to cultural exchanges and
twinned cities contacts - close inter-regional partnership helps to
consolidate mutual understanding, confidence and friendship between
Russian and Japanese peoples as well as peps up efficiency of joint
efforts on tackling specific social and economic issues.
"It is very important that growing number of Russia's regions are
being involved in this cooperation: from its western and north-western
parts to Siberia and the Far East."
Medvedev expressed confidence that the Sunday meeting would enrich
cooperation between subjects of the Russian Federation and Japanese
prefectures. On the whole, it will help to step up efforts on forming
relations of true partnership between the two states, of which we agreed
with Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama".
The Russian president's message to the meeting of governors was read
out by Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, the presidential press service reported.
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