President Putin: Moscow Set to Develop Constructive Partnership with Slovakia - 8 April, 2003

Current relations between Russia and Slovakia are devoid of any serious problems and contradictions, Russian President Vladimir Putin said when opening a Kremlin meeting with Slovak Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda on Tuesday.

"We are set to develop constructive co-operation," the Russian president said. According to him, "the busy schedule of political contacts testifies to it." "We expect the current visit to give a new impetus to the development of bilateral contacts," the Russian leader said.

In addition, Putin said, "we have something to talk about in the economic sphere." "The major component here is energy," the president said. "Slovakia has such a position in Europe that energy delivery routes which stand good chances to develop pass through it." The Russian president said that military-technical co-operation "has a good background".

"It would be interesting to learn each other's opinions of the development of the current international situation," Putin added.