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German chancellor to visit Russia for talks with Putin and Medvedev

By IRNA

Berlin : German Chancellor Angela Merkel will embark on a working visit to Russia on Saturday for talks with outgoing Russian President Vladimir Putin and his successor Dmitry Medvedev, the German government said in Berlin on Tuesday.

Further details of Merkel’s trip which follows an invitation by Putin, were to be announced at a later date.

On Monday, the German leader congratulated Medvedev on his landslide victory in Sunday’s Russian presidential elections, saying she was looking forward to meet the president-elect “as soon as possible,” Merkel spokesman Thomas Steg said at a routine press briefing.

The chancellery official stressed Merkel’s interest in a “comprehensive cooperation with Russia under the new president.” “The result of the election documents the desire of the Russian people for continuity and stability,” he added.

Meanwhile, Steg refused to comment on media reports about massive election fraud in Russia.

He did say however that if such reports were true, the Russian government would be obligated to investigate the charges.