<div><b><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday night said they have agreed to increase and strengthen trade and investment relations with Bangladesh.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Describing Bangladesh a good and long-standing partner in South Asia, he said that they are intensifying their bilateral contact with Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>While speaking at a joint media briefing after his bilateral meeting with Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, Lavrov said they also discussed the Rohingya crisis.</div><div><br></div><div>He said they support the ongoing negotiations between Bangladesh and Myanmar for solutions.</div><div><br></div><div>The Russian Foreign Minister also talked about flagship project- Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant and laid emphasis on its implementation in a consistent manner.</div><div><br></div><div>"We are very delighted as the Russian Foreign Minister is visiting Bangladesh for the first time. We have deep relations with Russia," said Momen.</div><div><br></div><div>He said they discussed Rohingya issue, trade and investment and greater market access to Russia,</div><div><br></div><div>"We don't want war. We want all issues&nbsp; (to) get resolved through dialogue and discussion," Momen said.</div><div><br></div><div>"We maintain a very balanced foreign policy. We follow our own interests, and till today, we are maintaining a very independent policy. Our objective is to resolve all the issues through dialogue and discussion," Momen told reporters while responding to a question.</div><div><br></div><div>The Russian Foreign Minister arrived in Dhaka on Thursday evening on a two-day official visit, which is seen as an important step amid changed global scenario.</div><div><br></div><div>Momen received his Russian counterpart at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 6:17pm.</div><div><br></div><div>This is the first visit to Bangladesh by any Russian Foreign Minister since independence.</div><div><br></div><div>The Russian Foreign Minister will meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday morning.</div><div><br></div><div>He will visit Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi before departure on Friday.</div><div><br></div><div>The two countries will discuss prospects for development of bilateral relations and exchange views on the most pressing regional and international issues, said the Russian Embassy in Dhaka.</div><div><br></div><div>The Russian Foreign Minister will attend the G20 Summit in New Delhi on September 9-10 after completing his visit to Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>Lavrov was scheduled to visit Bangladesh on November 23 last year, mainly to attend the 22nd IORA Council of Ministers meeting, held in Dhaka on November 24. But the visit was called off at the last minute.</div><div><br></div><div>Later, Momen and Lavrov had a telephone conversation and shed light on the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Russia and expressed their desire to take these relations to greater heights.</div><div><br></div><div>During a telephone conversation, the Russian foreign minister expressed his regret for not being able to come to Dhaka due to schedule complications and expressed his intention to make the visit soon.</div><div><br></div><div>Momen thanked Russia for its cooperation with Bangladesh in the construction of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant and invited the Russian President to visit Bangladesh on behalf of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>