Moscow - Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday he was glad to see his South African counterpart President Jacob Zuma at the celebrations of the 70th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s Victory over Nazi Germany in World War II in Moscow.
President Putin and President Zuma held a bilateral meeting on Saturday on the sidelines of festive events in Moscow.
"I find it very pleasant to see our friends in the days when we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War," Putin said at a meeting with Zuma, calling him "Dear Jacob".
The Great Patriotic War is a term used in Russia and other former Soviet republics to describe hostilities on the eastern fronts of World War II in 1941-1945.
According to the Russian leader, "relations between Russia and the Republic of South Africa have a special nature”.
"It’s our leading partner on the African continent," he said.
President Putin paid attention to cooperation between Russia and South Africa in international organisations, including BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). "We should do many things to make this organisation… an effective tool of our economies’ development," he said. "We have such a possibility."
President Zuma thanked the Russian President for the invitation.
"Let me thank you for the invitation. We have been given a very warm reception and hospitality since our arrival," the South African leader said.
"When it comes to the commemoration today, it has been ... a big day for the country and for many of us. I think it defines how the globe stands today," he said.
President Zuma added that "so many good friends" came to Russia for celebrations.
He stressed that taking into account the history of his country, it was important for him to be in Russia on that day. The South African leader said this gave him an opportunity to "understand what are relations are today" and added his country "is looking forward to development of bilateral relations”.
The two leaders met in the Kremlin. Before talks, Putin and Zuma warmly welcomed one another and shook each other’s hands.
From the Russian side, the talks also involved Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, presidential aide Yury Ushakov and Natural Resources Minister Sergey Donskoi, who heads the bilateral intergovernmental commission. – SAnews.gov.za-Itar Tass
