The history of this holiday goes back to the year of 1990 when the Supreme Council of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic adopted the Declaration of State Sovereignty of Russia. After the break-up of the USSR in 1991 our country finally embarked on the path of becoming a multi-ethnic democratic state with a market economy and launched fundamental reforms in the political and social spheres.
In the last two decades - a moment by standards of history - we've achieved significant progress moving toward our goals. We became stronger as a country, as one nation. In the world community Russia is perceived as a dynamically developing democratic state which is highly respected in the international arena. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council the Russian Federation is known for its consistency in supporting the principles of democratisation of international relations, for its reliability as a partner in addressing the global challenges and threats humankind is faced with - be it the fight against terrorism or environmental issues.
Since the birth of the independent Russia our main goal has been strengthening of its economy and ensuring steady increase in the citizens' quality of life. The deficit of food and consumer products typical for the late 1980s was liquidated. Nowadays there is practically no unemployment. A vast middle class of around 30% of the population emerged which is rapidly turning into a locomotive of the national economy. These are people who stand firmly on their feet, provide for themselves and give jobs to fellow citizens. Today the level of consumption and variety of goods of 80% of Russians are three times higher than those in the USSR. For example, almost every Russian family owns a car, sometimes even more. People have sufficient household appliances. Though not as fast as desired, the housing conditions are gradually improving - owing to, inter alia, such market mechanism as mortgage lending.
High level of education is maintained in Russia. 57% of our citizens aged 25-35 have higher education. Besides Russia such a high rate is achieved in three countries only: Japan, South Korea and Canada. At that, our education is of the highest quality. Our universities (Moscow State University, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Bauman Moscow State Technical University, St. Petersburg State University, etc) and their graduates, specialists and scientists are known and in demand world-wide. The solid educational and scientific potential allows Russia to look ahead with confidence.
Due to the balanced economic policy we managed to pull through global financial crises of 1998 and 2008 as well as the well-known Western sanctions of 2014 with minimum losses. Moreover, unlike many developed countries, we kept positive growth rates of the GDP, raised pensions and carried out welfare programs at the height of the crisis.
The Russian positions on the global arena are also being strengthened. That is because we pursue an active foreign policy based on the principles of respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of other states as well as non-interference in the internal affairs of its partners. One of the priority areas for application of Russia's diplomatic efforts will remain Asia where the epicenter of global political processes has been shifting in recent years. As for South Asia its major task will be further enhancement of mutually beneficial co-operation and partnership with the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. It was under President Vladimir Putin that our relations with Pakistan acquired their own, truly independent value.
Russia attaches great significance to its relations with the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Your country occupies an important place among Russia's foreign policy priorities which is determined by its geostrategic position in the South and Southwest Asia region directly adjacent to the borders of the CIS as well as by its high authority in the Islamic world. Russia and Pakistan are neighbours in the region with common challenges and problems affecting our countries' national security interests. We must address these problems together. The role of Pakistan in the international arena has considerably increased due to its active participation in the international counterterrorist coalition and the contribution which your country can make to the Afghan settlement.
We pay tribute to Pakistan for its significant contribution to efforts of the international counterterrorist coalition. For your country the fight against terrorism is not an easy endeavour. Brutal acts of terrorism took lives of dozens of thousand civilians. Thousands Pakistani soldiers and officers sacrificed their lives while protecting their motherland from extremists whose barbaric actions have nothing to do with the Islamic jihad and cannot be justified. Russia supported and will persistently support efforts of the Pakistani partners on a counterterrorist track.
We are satisfied with the active interaction between Russia and Pakistan in international organisations. We have close or identical positions on main problems of the world politics, including the formation of a multipolar world order with the UN's leading role being strengthened, the primacy of international law in interstate relations, crisis management and resolution of disputes on the basis of search for a balance of interests.
Russia attaches special importance to co-operation with Pakistan in the framework of the SCO. We are grateful to the Pakistani partners for their active participation in events of this prestigious organisation which is rapidly emerging as an important element of the regional security architecture, useful mechanism for the implementation of transregional economic, energy and infrastructure projects. Russia consistently supports the intention of Pakistan which now possesses an observer status to join the SCO as a full-fledged member. We are sure that the forthcoming SCO summit in Ufa in July this year will be marked by serious progress in achieving this goal.
It is extremely important that the need for mutually beneficial partnership is recognised at the highest level. A regular exchange of views on key issues of regional and bilateral co-operation has been established between our leaders since the official visit of President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari to Russia in May 2011. The heads of state endorsed the priority areas of partnership: struggle against international terrorism and drug-related crimes, implementation of regional, energy and infrastructure projects, strengthening trade, economic and business ties. It was agreed to co-ordinate our positions on the Afghan settlement. The relevant work is being carried out.
It should be admitted that against the backdrop of our political contacts dynamically developing the economic component of our co-operation is lagging behind. We cannot be satisfied with the existing bilateral trade turnover of less than USD 500 million, with the low level of direct business ties, insufficient knowledge of our business communities about the possibilities of each other's markets and, virtually, actual absence of co-operation in the investment field. Such a situation does not represent the potential. It is encouraging that in official and business circles of our countries there is a growing understanding of the necessity to improve things and ensure accelerated development of trade and economic ties which ought to be taken to completely new qualitative and quantitative levels.
In this regard we have high hopes for the Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) on Trade and Economic, Scientific and Technical Co-operation which should enhance bilateral business ties and bring them onto a qualitatively new level. We hope the IGC meeting will take place this year in Islamabad for the fourth time. It is expected that the most sophisticated question in our economic relations - the bilateral financial claims - is to be solved out.
There is vast potential for co-operation in energy, oil and gas, metallurgy sectors. The regional CASA-1000 project of creating a system to transfer electricity from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to Afghanistan and Pakistan can become mutually beneficial. Russia is ready to participate in national power projects such as reconstruction of combined heat and power plants in Muzaffargarh constructed with the assistance of Soviet specialists, to build up a new one in Jamshoro. The negotiations on the intergovernmental agreement on construction of the "North-South" gas pipeline is being finalised as well as the possibility of the deliveries of Russian LNG to Karachi sea-port has a very good chance for implementation.
Our companies could participate in the exploration and development of offshore oil and gas fields in Pakistan, building of underground gas storage facilities, training of specialists for the Pakistani oil and gas sector which was once created with the help of the Soviet Union.
Co-operation in the field of metallurgy is an important sphere of our partnership. We are interested in securing Russian participation in the modernisation and expansion of the Pakistan Steel Mills in Karachi built in the 1980s with financial and technical support of the USSR. There are many other fields for mutually beneficial co-operation.
Russia highly values its partnership with Pakistan. We intend to further develop multi-dimensional co-operation with your wonderful country in which I have the honour to work as Ambassador of Russia. Undoubtedly, strengthening ties of friendship and long-term partnership between Russia and Pakistan not only meets the interests of our peoples but also serves as a significant factor of maintaining regional stability and security.