MOSCOW, August 29. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov pointed to good traditions of friendship in relations between Russia and Senegal and expressed confidence that the accumulated diplomatic experience of his colleague Yacine Fall would further improve ties between the two countries following her appointment as Senegalese Foreign Minister.

Lavrov and his Senegalese counterpart Fall met on Thursday for a bilateral meeting in the Russian capital of Moscow.

"First and foremost, allow me to personally extend our congratulations on your appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs and African Integration of the Republic of Senegal," the Russian Foreign Ministry quoted Lavrov as saying in its statement.

According to the Russian top diplomat, "Our bilateral relations are built on strong traditions, grounded in mutual good feelings, friendship between our peoples, and respect for each other’s interests."

"I am confident that your extensive experience in international affairs, including your work with UN structures, will help maintain continuity in our relations and enhance coordination within multilateral frameworks," he continued.

Lavrov also stated that Russia wanted to congratulate "the people of Senegal on their recent presidential election, which led to Bassirou Diomaye Faye being elected as the new head of state. President of Russia Vladimir Putin was among the first to offer his congratulations."

"We appreciated that President Bassirou Diomaye Faye sent a message to Vladimir Putin following his recent re-election as President of the Russian Federation," he added.