SAMARKAND (TASS) — Russia seeks constructive cooperation on an equal basis with the countries of Central Asia and the entire Eurasian space, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his greetings for participants of the 10th Asian conference of the Valdai International Discussion Club.

The two-day forum brought together diplomats and scientists from Russia, Uzbekistan, Germany, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Tajikistan and other countries. The Institute for Strategic and Interregional Research under the president Uzbekistan, the country’s leading think-tank set up in 1992, is a co-organizer of the event. Uzbekistan hosts the Valdai club’s conference for the first time.

In a statement read out by Russian Ambassador to Uzbekistan Vladimir Tyurdenev, Putin declared:

Russia is ready for constructive cooperation on an equal basis with all countries of the continent. We believe that peace and prosperity in the Eurasian space are the most important condition for security and stability on a global scale.

The Russian President noted that the conference was devoted to a vital issue such as the opportunities for multilateral cooperation in Central Asia and on the entire Eurasian space in the context of global threats and challenges:

I would like to sincerely thank the leadership of our friendly nation Uzbekistan and everyone who took part in arranging the conference and I wish its participants to have an interesting and fruitful discussion.