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Putin congratulates Steinmeier on his election German President

Steinmeier was elected Germany’s 12th president on Sunday

MOSCOW, February 12. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Germany’s former Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on his election President of Germany and invited him to visit Russia, the Kremlin press service said on Sunday.

In his congratulatory telegram, "the Russian head of state expressed confidence that Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s activities as German president will help promote the development of Russia-Germany relations, efficient cooperation in various spheres for the benefit of the peoples of the two countries and in the interests of strengthening stability and security on the European continent and in the entire world," the Kremlin said.

"Vladimir Putin reiterated commitment to continue constructive dialogue on topical issues of the bilateral and international agenda and invited Frank-Walter Steinmeier to visit Russia at any time convenient for him," the Kremlin press service said.

Steinmeier was elected Germany’s 12th president on Sunday. He scored support from more than a half of delegates of the Federal Assembly, a body that is convened to elect the head of state. Half of the 1,260 delegates of the Federal Assembly are members of the Bundestag, the rest are voters appointed by the parliaments of the federal sates.

Steinmeier won the votes of 931 out of 1,253 delegates taking part in the polling. Fourteen votes were recognized as invalid, 103 delegates abstained.

The new head of state will be sworn to office in March after the office term of the incumbent President Joachim Gauck expires (March 18).