KAZAN, May 18. /TASS/. Russia is ready to cooperate closely with the countries of the Muslim world, with which Moscow sees eye-to-eye on most of the key issues, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in a video address to the 14th International Economic Forum "Russia - Islamic World: KazanForum" on Thursday.

"We are ready for close cooperation with our friends from the Muslim world," the Russian foreign minister pointed out. "As well as with all other partners who share an interest in strengthening the legal and democratic foundations of international life," he went on to say.

"Russia traditionally develops friendly relations with the overwhelming majority of Muslim countries. We are united by a commitment to building interstate cooperation based on the principles of equality, mutual consideration of interests and a search for a balance of interests," Lavrov said in his welcoming address.

"We have always consistently supported the cultural and civilizational diversity of the peoples of the world and their natural right to determine their own models and paths of development. We hold the same or very close positions on most of the key issues of our time, and we cooperate productively in the UN and other multilateral platforms," Lavrov stressed.

Focusing on priorities of Russian diplomacy, the top diplomat listed the promotion of inter-faith, intercultural dialogue and understanding, teaming up to protect traditional spiritual and moral values shared by all world religions, as well as the fight against Islamophobia, including through the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and within the OSCE European security agency.