MOSCOW, June 10. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the first foreign visit of Serdar Berdimuhamedov, Turkmenistan’s new President, precisely to Russia emphasizes the special nature of relations between the two countries at a meeting with his Turkmen counterpart in Kremlin on Friday.

"Welcome to Russia, we are very happy that you are paying your first foreign state visit precisely to our country, this once again stresses the special nature of our relations," Putin said, adding that he was very glad to see the Turkmen leader in Moscow.

The Russian president underscored that largely thanks to the efforts of ex-Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, Serdar’s father, interaction between both countries advanced "indeed to a strategic level."

"I would like to ask you to convey the best wishes to the previous president, my good old friend, naturally, wishing him success and good health," the Russian leader concluded.