The President expressed his thanks to the UNESCO Director for the assistance in restoring the educational system in Chechnya.
Mr Putin and Mr Matsuura discussed a wide range of questions related to Russia-UNESCO cooperation and paid special attention to expanding the presence of the Russian language in the world. The successful completion of joint projects on such gems of Russian and world culture as the Bolshoi Theatre, the Hermitage and the Russian State Library will give a fresh impetus to Russia’s cooperation with that UN institution.
President Putin expressed the hope that Russia would take a more active part in UNESCO projects underway in third countries.
He presented Mr Matsuura with an encyclopedic “History of Humanity” published in the Russian language in Russia.