Russian President Vladimir Putin led Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos (center) through the honor guard to receive the honorary order.
Photo: Dmitry Azarov
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Russia Awards Angola’s President
Russian President Vladimir Putin met Angola’s leader Jose Eduardo dos Santos on Tuesday and presented him with the Order of Friendship. Kommersant special correspondent Andrey Kolesnikov reports.
The meeting between the two presidents was to be concluded with awarding the long-serving Angolan president with the Order of Friendship. Russian authorities reportedly decided to award the president after Vladimir Putin had unexpectedly cancelled his visit to Angola in September.
Angola’s President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who won the war for the country’s independence and has been ruling Angola since 1978, initially wanted to come to Russia on a state visit. A head of any state can come to any country on a state visit as often as one time during their time in office. Dos Santos was going to use this chance.
Russian diplomats, however, suggested another option inviting dos Santos for an unofficial visit but awarding him with the Order of Friendship.
In addition, the visit coincided with the clearance of Angola’s debt to Russia. Shortly before Tuesday’s meeting, the last several millions of Angola’s huge state debt was been sent to Moscow. Russia, however, wrote off a large portion of the debt a few years ago.
The parties signed ten economic agreements yesterday, including a memorandum on cooperation in exploration and development of oil deposits in Angola.
The signing ceremony was crowned with a real awards ceremony when Vladimir Putin presented Jose Eduardo dos Santos with the Order of Friendship for strengthening ties between the two nations.
“This award is an achievement of the whole Angolan people,” President Santos said. “It is thanks to the people’s effort that I am now receiving this award.”
Andrey Kolesnikov
All the Article in Russian as of Nov. 01, 2006
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