Jordanian King: Russia has changed a lot

Jordanian King Abdullah II thinks Russia has changed a lot in recent years.

He says he's known Russia for a long time, since the end of the 1980s.

"I visited your military establishments and worked with your special units when I was in the army. I have very fond memories of Russian people. I made a lot of friends here," Abdullah II told Rossiiskaya Gazeta in an interview published in the Thursday issue of the newspaper.

"Russia is going through a phase of great changes. Today it's not the country it was ten years ago. I saw during my two last visits that your country is quickly merging with the world community - all thanks to President Putin," the king said.

"As for economic links, we have a lot of opportunities. We are counting on the realisation of a series of national projects with Russia, which mostly deal with gas extraction. We'd like to further relations in the private sector, like organising tourist exchanges," Abdullah II added.