WEBVTT

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Please have a seat . Good afternoon ,

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everyone . Um . First , let me just say

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on a personal level , what a pleasure

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it is to um receive my my friend the

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foreign minister . uh we've worked

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together a lot these past few years and

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um he is , he's been a wonderful ,

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wonderful colleague , a wonderful

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partner . And I think it's fitting that

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uh we're able to come together today

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because this marks a significant

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milestone in the relationship between

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the United States and Armenia . uh

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we're establishing our US Armenia

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Strategic Partnership commission . Uh ,

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this commission gives us a framework to

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expand our bilateral cooperation in a

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number of key areas , uh , economic

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matters , security and defense .

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Democracy , justice , inclusion and

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people to people exchanges . Each of

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these uh is a shared interest that uh

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forms the bedrock of our relationship

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and our partnership . Over these recent

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years we've been able to work together

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um among other things but significantly

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on our economic relationship and on our

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economic cooperation um we've expanded

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cooperation . Across the economies , um ,

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we've done that on energy and we're now

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poised to begin negotiations on a 123

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agreement for peaceful nuclear

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cooperation . And this is genuinely a

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milestone . I think it um underscores a

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couple of things a mutual dedication

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that we have to . Nuclear

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nonproliferation standards and

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advancing nuclear security , uh , but

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also opening new avenues uh for our two

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countries to collaborate on nuclear

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energy , on science , and on technology .

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Um , we're also working with Armenia in

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the realm of security and defense and

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in particular to support its efforts to

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assert its independence and sovereignty

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over its own territory . Uh , next

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month in the coming weeks we will have

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a customs and Border Patrol team travel

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to Armenia to work with their Armenian

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counterparts on border security

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capacity building . Uh , strengthening

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security cooperation , um , enhancing

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Armenia's peacekeeping capabilities

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through exercises like Eagle Partner .

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Um , we had a bilateral training

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exercise , Eagle Partner that's been ,

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uh , done . Uh , annually for the past

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two years , all of this is enhancing

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Armenia's capacity to be a strong

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partner as well as to mind its own

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borders . Um , I'm also very pleased to

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announce today Armenia's intent to join

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the global coalition to defeat ISIS .

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Uh , all right , you'll be joining 87

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other members to work together for

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greater stability , uh , in the Middle

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East and well beyond , uh , so we're

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very , very grateful for that , um ,

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engagement . On democracy and

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justice , let me just point out that

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the Armenian government has implemented

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reforms that are demonstrating a real

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commitment to building an even more

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just and even more fair society . I

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recognize in particular the work that

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Prime Minister Bainian has done , his

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government has done , implementing

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domestic reforms across critical areas ,

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in particular justice and law

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enforcement . Um , last month here at

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the department we were very honored to

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present , uh , one of our

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anti-corruption champion awards to

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Justice Galian for outstanding work in

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combating corruption . This is a

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testament to the scope of the reforms

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that Armenia is pursuing , uh , and

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that she has carried out , so

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effectively . So in a few moments after ,

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uh , the foreign minister speaks ,

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we'll have a chance to to sign this ,

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uh , this framework agreement . But

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again I just want to underscore that it

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really lays the foundation for even

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deeper cooperation and it builds on our

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shared principles . We are increasingly

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strong partners and I think that is for

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the good of both of our countries as

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well as the good of the region and

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beyond , and this charter , the

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strategic partnership that we're

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signing . Will I think contribute to a

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more resilient , a more peaceful , and

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more secure , a more independent South

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Caucasus . So I couldn't be more happy

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to be able to do this today and

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especially to do it with my friend , Mr .

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Minister . Thank you

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very much . The Secretary Blinken .

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Colleagues , excellencies , dear

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friends , the Armenia United States

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Strategic Partnership Charter , which

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we are signing today provides a robust

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framework and injects greater ambition

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into our cooperation . It spans a wide

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array of fields including strengthening

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economic and energy ties , connectivity ,

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deepening defense and security

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cooperation , reinforcing democratic

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institutions , promoting justice and

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the rule of law , fostering innovation

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and high technologies , and enhancing

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people to people contacts . Our

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relations , based on shared values and

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mutual interests have witnessed

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remarkable growth in recent years .

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They have matured to a point where

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upgrading them to a strategic

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partnership is not only fitting but

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essential for navigating the complex

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geopolitical landscape . I'm especially

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grateful for your contribution , Mr .

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Secretary , and your team's tireless

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efforts . On this journey in elevating

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our cooperation to this new level . We

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deeply value the unwavering United

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States' support for Armenia's

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independence , sovereignty and

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territorial integrity . Equally

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important is the United States' support

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for strengthening Armenia's democratic

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democratic institutions and promoting

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economic resilience . We appreciate the

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United States' engagement in promoting

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a durable and lasting peace in the

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South Caucasus region . We believe that

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a stable and prosperous South Caucasus

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is in the interests of all regional

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actors and the broader international

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community . Armenia remains committed

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to peace agenda and its implementation

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and to working closely with the United

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States to achieve this shared objective .

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In the spirit of shared commitment to

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global security , I am also happy to

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announce that Armenia intends to join

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the global coalition to defeat ISIS ,

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further demonstrating our dedication to

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combating international terrorism . We

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believe that collective action is

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essential in addressing this threat .

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We also commenced negotiations on a

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nuclear cooperation agreement with the

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United States , commonly known as the

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123 agreement . It will provide a

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framework for cooperation in the

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peaceful use of nuclear energy and mark

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our commitment to peaceful nuclear

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development under the highest standards

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of safety , security , and

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nonproliferation . Looking ahead , we

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are eager to continue working with the

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new United States administration to

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fulfill the ambitious goals outlined in

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our strategic Partnership charter .

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Dear friends , let this charter serve

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as a testament to the deepening

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strategic relations between Armenia and

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the United States and as a roadmap for

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a future filled with shared

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achievements . Thank you .

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Good afternoon . Secretary Blinken and

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Foreign Minister Arat Rizoian are

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signing a strategic partnership

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commission charter between the

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government of the United States and the

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government of Armenia . The charter

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sets forth the framework for economic

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and security cooperation ,

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strengthening democracy , justice , and

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inclusion . And increasing people to

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people exchanges . Armenia is an

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essential strategic partner as the

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secretary said , we look forward to

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continued cooperation .

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I

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OK .

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Thank you . Great work .