Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is on an official visit to Slovakia to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the liberation of the Slovakian capital Bratislava from the Nazis by the Red Army.
"The defeat of Nazism is the common victory of our people," Medvedev wrote in an article published in the Slovak newspaper Pravda.
"We appreciate the fact that here in Slovakia the truth about events related to the Red Army's liberation mission is carefully preserved and that the Russian people and the landmarks of our common history are held in high esteem."
During his visit, Medvedev will meet with President Ivan Gasparovic to discuss a wide range of issues including military-technical cooperation and the Russian supply of nuclear fuel to Slovak power plants.
The president said Russia was interested in promoting cooperation with Slovakia in the field of advanced technology. This includes the establishment of the International Laser Centre and Cyclotron Centre in Bratislava, and a proton therapy complex in Ruzomberok. The Cyclotron and proton therapy projects are already in their final stages of development.
After his visit to Slovakia, Medvedev will travel to Prague to sign the historic Russia - U.S. nuclear arms reduction treaty. The pact will replace the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), the cornerstone of post-Cold War arms control, which expired on December 5, 2009.
"We are actively working in the area of disarmament and arms control and seek to achieve real progress. The new treaty on measures for the further reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms is an important step in this direction," Medvedev said.
MOSCOW, April 6 (RIA Novosti)
Russia-Slovakia: bilateral relations
