MOSCOW. March 5 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Badra Gunba on his election as president of Abkhazia and underscored a special nature of relations between Moscow and Sukhum.
"Badra Zurabovich [Gunba], I am delighted to see you and would like to congratulate you in person on winning the election. You garnered more than 54% of the vote, 54.7%, with 70% voter turnout, which is a good result, and I congratulate you," Putin said at a meeting with Gunba at the Kremlin.
"I know that the election campaign was quite turbulent, with emotions, but what's most important is that the people came and voiced their wishes and their preferences," Putin said.
"You certainly know about a special nature of relations between Russia and Abkhazia, you know about the existing problems that need to be resolved and which the people expect to be resolved. Let's work," he said.