SOCHI, October 11. /TASS/. Turkmenistan’s President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov congratulated his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on his recent birthday and gave him a dog as a present.

Putin turned 65 on October 7. The dog, called Verny (Faithful), is an Alabai, a Turkmen breed of the Central Asian Shepherd, which is one of the oldest breeds on the Earth.

"I would like to start with a pleasant mission. Not too long ago, you had a good day, your birthday. That’s why I congratulate you from the bottom of my heart and I surely wish you good health, successes and all the best," said Berdymukhamedov at the beginning of the meeting.

The Turkmen leader praised Putin’s contribution to environmental issues. "Now we have one common friend, the world’s one-of-a-kind dog called the Alabai. And today I brought with me this little Alabai," he said, presenting Putin with the dog, which had been brought in a carrier to the hall.

The Turkmen president also noted that he attaches great attention to bilateral relations and also contacts in the framework of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).