ST. PETERSBURG, September 19. /TASS/. Trade turnover between Russia and Zimbabwe soared almost seven-fold last year, though it does not fully reflect the possibilities of the two countries, Russia’s Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko said.

"It is pleasant to note that trade turnover between our countries grew almost seven-fold last year. However, in absolute terms it is far from fully reflecting our possibilities, of course. I think that we can extend instruments, formats of supporting our business contacts, economic cooperation, trade turnover expansion through the parliamentarian line as well," she said at a meeting with President of Zimbabwe’s Senate Mabel Chinomona on the sidelines of the Eurasian Women's Forum.

Matviyenko suggested that the groups of friendship of the Federation Council and the Senate "think about this kind of work." She also noted that Russia is aware of the fact that Zimbabwe is facing difficulties with food due to prolonged drought, adding that 25,000 tons of grain and 23,000 tons as humanitarian supplies were delivered to the country this January at the request of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russia's top senator also noted the friendly nature of relations between Russia and Zimbabwe and expressed satisfaction with the fact that mutually beneficial cooperation between the countries "have been gathering pace actively" in recent years.

TASS is the general information partner of the fourth Eurasian Women's Forum, which is being held in St. Petersburg on September 18-20. The organizers are the Federation Council of Russia’s Federal Assembly and the Interparliamentary Assembly of the CIS member states.