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Putin hopes strains in relations with Greece following expulsion of Russian diplomats over

According to the Russian leader, what matters is "stability of the economy, the reliability and sustainability of the political system and guarantees of investments in big projects"

MOSCOW, December 7. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday he hopes Moscow and Athens have ultimately overcome problems in their relations stemming from Greece’s expelling Russian diplomats.

"I hope this page has relay been turned," he said after talks with visiting Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. "But I would say it was not a big problem for us to continue to work normally and build relations, including in the economic sphere. What matters more here is stability of the economy, the reliability and sustainability of the political system and guarantees of investments in big projects. We are ready to work in all spheres, including that of energy infrastructure projects."

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Putin does not rule out connecting South Europe to Turkish Stream via Greece

Speaking about the reasons for the expulsion of Russian diplomats, the Russian president recalled that Moscow had disagreed with the grounds for that decision. "I can hardly imagine that any sober-minded person both in Greece and in Russia nay think that Russia is plotting any schemes or conspiring against Greece. It is nonsense, bosh, that’s all," he stressed.

He said he is convinced that mutual claims can be settled in other ways, "without theatrical gestures.".

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Vladimir Putin Greece

Military operation in Ukraine

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Russian stock indices rising on Friday

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FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

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