MOSCOW, September 19. /TASS/. Greek-Russian relations are founded on friendship and mutual respect and have been deep-rooted both in good and hard times, Greek Ambassador in Moscow Andreas Friganas said on Wednesday.

Friganas was speaking at the Russian Foreign Ministry where an opening ceremony was held to unveil an exhibition dedicated to the 190th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic relations.

"Our diplomatic relations emerged on the foundation of deep friendship, mutual respect and esteem. [This] is confirmed by hundreds of thousands of Russian tourists who visit Greece every year," the diplomat said mentioning also "one hundred thousand Russians of Greek descent who are an inviolable bond between our nations."

The Greek ambassador pointed out that the exhibition showcased the beginning of a new stage in bilateral cooperation.

"By [opening] this exhibition, we mark more than 190th anniversary of Russian-Greek relations. Today we are opening a new period, the next 190 years of relations and cooperation based on traditions of friendship which roots are very deep both in sunny and rainy days," Friganas said.

The exhibition displays copies of major historic documents, including the Treaty of K···k Kaynarca (also spelled Kuchuk Kainarji), a peace pact signed in July 1774 between the Russian Empire and Ottoman Empire. The peace treaty ended the Russian-Turkish War of 1768-1774. The defeated Ottoman Empire was forbidden to persecute Christians and their churches, while Greeks were granted certain benefits.

Among other exhibits is a letter of Greek military top brass to Emperor Nicholas I. In the letter, they asked the Russian tsar to help Greece in its fight for national liberation against the Turks. Joint photos of Russian and Greek diplomats along with contemporary documents are also on display.