Let me welcome and congratulate the leadership of the countries, heads of Muslim regions of the Russian Federation with organization of the present conference.  I also greet the representatives of Muslim international organizations, representatives of science and culture of Russia and other countries, prominent public and religious figures, all the participants of the conference.

The God gave me the opportunity to attend such an important event that is held in the friendly Russian Federation, and I am happy to realize that among the participants of the present conference are such prominent religious and secular scholars

I am honoured to greet you on the occasion of the conference on Russia and the Muslim World. First of all, I would like to congratulate the organizers, in particular the Russia Muftis Council, for convening this conference. Under the approval of the President of the Russian Federation H.E. Dmitry Medvedev, this foresighted initiative encompasses a vast array of fields of present and prospective relations between Russia and the Muslim world.

Strengthening the friendship and cooperation with the Islamic world is one of the priorities and strategic direction of Russia’s foreign policy. It is gratifying that Russia’s obtaining the observer status in the Organisation of the Islamic Conference gave a new impetus to the constructive cooperation between our country and the Muslim states.

In the name of the Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation I heartedly greet the opening of the international conference that gathered many state, public and religious figures, authoritative Islamic scholars, representatives of science and culture.

Russia's relations with Islam and the Muslim World are deep seated and rooted in geography and history. Some of the most important chapters of Islamic history were contributed in this part of the world.

This is my pleasure to see at our conference numerous high guests from the far abroad countries, CIS countries, Russian statesmen and public figures of high status, envoys of Russia’s different confessions, scholars, artists, businessmen.

I came here on your kind invitation and I would like to pass – on behalf of the state of Kuwait- our friendship, our appreciation, our desire to cooperate, our appeal to tolerance.

First of all I would like to greet all participants of the Conference that in my view has become an important landmark in the history of relations between Russia and the Islamic world.