MOSCOW, February 17. /ITAR-TASS/. Eritrean Foreign Minister Osman Saleh Mohammed has noted the importance of strengthened co-operation in a spirit of open partnership with Russia and agreement to promote trade and economic co-operation, he said on Monday after talks with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.

“Eritrea is a small country but has great strategic importance and enormous economic and human potential,” he said. “As for the regional and international agenda, we have noted the similarity in our positions and have agreed on concerted efforts to ensure national sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries in order to promote peace, stability and economic development,” Osman Saleh Mohammed said.

“Eritrea appreciates Russia’s constructive approach to solving global issues of the international agenda,” he added.

Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Russia and Eritrea Sergei Lavrov and Osman Saleh exchanged views on key international and regional problems during talks in Moscow on Monday.

The sides discussed the situation at the "flashpoints" of the African continent, putting emphasis on conflicts in the Horn of Africa, in Southern Sudan, the Central African Republic, the Sahara-Sahel region, as well as in the Middle East, in Syria and Afghanistan.

During the talks, the sides also discussed prospects for further development of Russia-Eritrea trade and economic cooperation and matters of creating favorable conditions in Eritrea for the investment activities of Russian business organizations.