Putin: Bahraini king’s visit to Russia is 'important and timely'

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday opening talks with visiting King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa al Khalifa that this visit is very important and timely, TASS news agency reported.

"Today, it is very important to speak about your vision of what is going on in the world," Putin said, addressing the Bahraini king. 

"I had a possibility to speak in China [at the Group of Twenty summit] with your colleague from the region. In light of this, your visit is very timely," Putin added. 

"I hope your visit will be as fruitful as our previous meeting," the Russian leader added.

It is expected that Vladimir Putin and Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa will exchange views on pressing issues of the current situation in the Middle East and North Africa, according to materials for the forthcoming meeting circulated on Tuesday.

"It is planned to focus special attention on the situation in Syria, primarily in the context of joint efforts against international terrorism," the document said.

Basically, Russia and Bahrain have a common approach in favor of political and diplomatic settlement of the Syrian crisis on the basis of the Geneva communique of June 30, 2012 and relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council, and documents of the International Syria Support Group. 

An intergovernmental agreement on military cooperation was also signed in the presence of the two countries' leaders.

Source: MENA