RABAT, September 18 (Itar-Tass) —— The Islamic Republic of Mauritania supports heartily the idea of Russia’s returning to Africa and considers this country a major element of the continent’s balance of interests, Russia's envoy to Africa Mikhail Margelov told Itar-Tass on the phone on Sunday as he was touring countries of the Dark continent.
In Nouakchott he had negotiations with leaders of Mauritania - President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz and the Senate’s President Ba Mamadou Mbare. During the meetings, Margelov said, they discussed various aspects of bilateral relations and vital international issues, including the situation in Libya and Syria.
“Our Mauritanian counterparts call for Russia and Russian businesses to position themselves more actively in Africa,” he said, stressing that “these ideas, expressed by our counterparts, are in line with the Russian foreign policy.”
“We do not doubt that Russia as a global country has its interests on all continents, including on the African one.”
“Mauritania as a traditional and key partner of the Russian Federation in the region of Sahel and Sahara is on the screens of our political radars,” he continued. “Mauritania’s president has voiced several important and major ideas in foreign policies and in our bilateral cooperation, which I shall translate to the head of the Russian state.”
During the discussions, Margelov said, the sides stressed that the Russia-Mauritania cooperation has good future.
“The traditional spheres like ocean fishing are good of course, but we should move forward,” he continued. “We have big opportunities in development of military-technical cooperation and in allowing Russian companies to work in energy and production of natural resources in Mauritania.”
“Next week already a delegation of Russian experts, who tour Africa, may come to Nouakchott to analyse Russia’s possible participation in certain projects in production of natural resources.”
“Chairman of Mauritania’s Senate, who used to study in Krasnodar and Kiev and used to manage the state fishing company for many years, expressed the view that inter-parliamentary cooperation may and should g ahead of intergovernmental cooperation, making way for businesses and executives in the legislative area,” Margelov told Itar-Tass.
Commenting on the situation in Libya, Margelov said that “both position of Russia and position of Mauritania, which reflects a common position of the African Union, coincide by almost 100 percent.”
“We have thought and think that political crises are not settled by military methods, and our concern about development of the situation in Libya is very similar,” he said. “We realise clearly that the joy of military victories should not draw away from those who think about national reunion and political settlement in Libya.”