MOSCOW. Aug 15 (Interfax) - A phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and interim President of Mali Assimi Goita has taken place at Mali's initiative, the Kremlin's press service said.
"Certain aspects of the development of friendly bilateral relations have been discussed as a follow-up to the Russia-Mali negotiations held at the summit level in St. Petersburg on July 29," the press service said.
"The parties focused on the situation in the sub-Sahara region and particularly underscored the importance of settling the situation around the Republic of Niger with exclusively peaceful political and diplomatic means," it said.