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Austrian president calls talks with Putin frank and businesslike

Alexander Van der Bellen said the quality of "our bilateral relations makes it possible for us to solve political problems and sensitive issues within the framework of constructive dialogue"

MOSCOW, May 15. /TASS/. /TASS/. Talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin were frank and businesslike Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen wrote in a tweet on Wednesday.

"I had an open and businesslike conversation with President Putin today," he blogged. "Austria and Russia are working well together along many trajectories - culture, science and business. The quality of our bilateral relations makes it possible for us to solve political problems and sensitive issues within the framework of constructive dialogue," the Austrian president wrote.

He said talks had also focused on relations between Russia and the European Union. At the same time, the president emphasized that Austria remained committed to the principle of European Union’s unity and supported sanctions against Russia.

Alexander Van der Bellen met on Wednesday with the Russian leader in Russia’s Black Sea resort of Sochi. The two leaders take part in the founding meeting of a bilateral public forum dubbed the Sochi Dialogue, which is being established at the initiative of the two countries’ presidents in order to boost ties civil societies.