Putin remembers Berlusconi with minute of silence at SPIEF

ST. PETERSBURG. June 16 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin suspended a plenary session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), declaring a minute of silence in memory of Italy's former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

"Mr Berlusconi, former prime minister of Italy, has recently passed away. He did a lot to forge regular, long-term relations between Russia and NATO countries. He was a radiant personality, very active and full of energy," Putin said at the plenary session.

"Without any exaggeration, I consider him a personality of global significance. I ask the audience for forgiveness. I would ask [that we] hold a minute of silence in his memory," he said.