Kissinger in Russia

Putin meets Kissinger on global issues, bilateral ties

Xinhua

21 January, 2012

MOSCOW, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Visiting former U.S. secretary of state Henry Kissinger and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin discussed global issues Friday, and vowed to enhance ties between the two countries.

Without giving details of the talks, Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the "private meeting" lasted some 40 minutes, local press reported Saturday.

Interfax news agency said Kissinger described the bilateral relations as "of key global importance" and expressed hope they would keep improving.

The pair met frequently in recent years, as Kissinger once called Putin "extremely intelligent" in 2007, while Putin said in 2006 that the two can "understand each other well" and can find compromise.

Russian media noted that Friday's meeting came just weeks before the March 4 presidential elections, in which Putin is seeking a third term as president.