Putin talks to King of Bahrain, confirms readiness for talks with Kyiv if it is interested

MOSCOW. Sept 30 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by telephone to King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Kremlin's press service stated.

The Russian leader informed the king about having signed on Friday the agreements on admission of the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson regions to the Russian Federation, the service said. "It was noted also that the Russian side, if the Kyiv authorities are interested, is ready for a resumption of the negotiation process with them," the statement said.

The pair also "discussed pressing issues of bilateral cooperation. Both sides expressed their determination further to develop Russian-Bahraini relations in their traditionally friendly, mutually beneficial and constructive fashion. The two countries acknowledge the proximity of their approaches to the key aspects of the situation in the Middle Eastern and North Africa region. There also will be established interaction through the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in light of the procedure started at the recent summit in Samarkand for Bahrain to receive the status of SCO partner in dialogue," the statement said.

The earlier invitation to the King of Bahrain to visit Russia was confirmed.

The conversation took place at the initiative of Bahrain, the Kremlin said.