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Putin expects visit by Moldova’s new president will boost bilateral ties

MOSCOW, January 17. /TASS/. The first official visit of new Moldova’s President Igor Dodon to Moscow is expected to give an impetus to development of bilateral relations across all areas, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

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Moldova, Transnistria leaders set out priority goals

"I highly expect your first visit to Russia, your first foreign trip in the capacity of the president will be a good push for development of our interstate ties across all areas," Putin said.

"Relations between Moscow and Chisinau in recent years had not been their best, though Moldova is an important partner for Russia in the region", Putin noted. "This is also demonstrated by turnover decline in recent years - it halved," the Russian president said.

The Russian President once again congratulated his Moldovan counterpart with election to the president’s office and inauguration.

Dodon on the new phase in bilateral relations

Relations between Russia and Moldova enter a new phase, and Chisinau hopes for restoration of partnership in the key areas, President of Moldova Igor Dodon said during the meeting with Vladimir Putin:

"We really hope that in 2017 we enter a new phase and we will be able to restore strategic partnership in key areas."

According to him, over the past 7 years references to a strategic partnership with Russia disappeared from Moldova’s government documents.

"But last year, Moldovans voted for the president and for the presidential program. The majority of Moldovan citizens voted for preserving the state, for neutrality, strategic partnership with the Russian Federation, for solving of the Transnistrian conflict, or rather the Transnistrian issue, preserving our traditional Orthodox values," Dodon said.

Dodon recalled that this is the first visit of Moldovan President to Russia after a nine-year hiatus.

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Foreign policy Vladimir Putin Moldova

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