Putin hopes Argentina’s new leadership to continue expanding ties with Russia

MOSCOW, October 21 /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin hopes that Argentina’s new leadership will continue a course towards developing and strengthening bilateral relations with Russia. "Presidential and parliamentary elections will take place in Argentina on October 25. I hope that the new Argentinian leadership will continue your course of strengthening multi-dimensional partnership (with Russia)," Putin told Argentinian President Cristina de Kirchner during a video conference on Wednesday. He noted that the two countries interacted closely at the United Nations and the G20. "Our countries consistently defend the basic principles of international law, including respect for national sovereignty first and foremost; non-interference in internal affairs; and the rejection of terrorism, extremism, double standards and the policy of sanctions," the Russian president said. For her part, Cristina de Kirchner confirmed Argentina’s stance that it was impossible to apply double standards in international relations. "The relations of partnership, which we have established between Argentina and Russia, are model and can serve as example to the whole world. The world which until recently had to choose whether to support the most powerful countries or die," the Argentinian president went on to say. According to her, countries should be sovereign and should be able to choose their political model without accepting other countries’ conditions. "If we manage to achieve that on a global scale, I am sure that the XXI century will be much better than what we lived through in the XX century," Cristina de Kirchner stressed. She said she was sure that the winner of the next presidential elections in Argentina would continue expanding contacts and integration with Russia. "I am sure that whoever wins the elections will continue strengthening cooperation with Russia. The Argentinians will continue moving in the same direction because they are gaining benefits from it," Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner told Putin stressing the importance of investment agreements between the two countries. The video conference was devoted to an anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations relations between Russia and Argentina. The Russian Empire established diplomatic relations with Argentina on October 22, 1885. They came to a halt in October 1917. The Soviet Union re-established the diplomatic relations with Argentina in 1946. In December 1991, the Argentinian government recognized the Russian Federation to be successor to the USSR. Read more