Bilateral cooperation and international issues were discussed.
Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko met with Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia Patrick Matibini.
The meeting was attended by Federation Council Deputy Speaker Iliyas Umakhanov, Chair of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs Konstantin Kosachyov, his Deputy Alexander Babakov and First Deputy Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Economic Policy Sergei Kalashnikov.
“Relations between Russia and Zambia have always been friendly and constructive. They are developing but not at the rate we would hope for,” Valentina Matvienko said.
She called Zambia a reliable and time-tested partner of Russia, and pointed to the commonality of their positions. “Our positions on major international issues are identical or close,” she said.
Speaker Matvienko spoke in favour of bolstering parliamentary ties and expressed confidence that the visit of the Zambian delegation will provide a good foundation for developing both inter-parliamentary ties and interstate cooperation.
Patrick Matibini emphasised that the main goal of his visit to Moscow is to consolidate Russia-Zambia inter-parliamentary contacts. He said the two countries are united by their cooperation in the Inter-Parliamentrary Union and by the need to develop bilateral relations, so the focus now must be on practical cooperation.
Among the promising areas of bilateral cooperation
mentioned by Speaker Matibini were the nuclear power industry, education, trade
and investment.
PRESS SERVICE OF THE FEDERATION COUNCIL