BERLIN, March 2./TASS/. German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday congratulated first President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev on his 90th birthday, stressing that Germany remembered his contribution to the reunification of the country.

"I would like to take advantage of this festive day for you to once again thank you for your personal role in the peaceful resolution of the Cold War and the completion of Germany’s reunification," Merkel wrote in a telegram circulated by the press service of the German government on Tuesday.

"Germany remembers your major contribution to its reunification, as well as your continued personal efforts for the sake of friendly relations between our countries," the chancellor stressed. "Today, you can look back on your life’s work with pride," Merkel stressed, also wishing Gorbachev good health.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas tweeted that Gorbachev, "the father of glasnost and perestroika" remained "a strong voice in favor of peace."

Mikhail Gorbachev (born on March 2, 1931) is a Russian and former Soviet politician. He was the last secretary general of the USSR’s Communist Party Central Committee (1985-1991) and the first and only president of the former Soviet Union (1990-1991). In 1990, Gorbachev was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize as recognition for his huge achievements as a prominent politician and reformer.