...Second and fourth President of the Russian Federation and the first to remain sober. Putin is credited with bringing political stability and re-establishing something like the rule of law, which occasionally results in somebody dropping dead from polonium poisoning. Under Putin, a new group of business magnates controlling significant swathes of Russia's economy has emerged, all of whom have close personal ties to Putin. The old bunch, without close personal ties to Putin, are in jail or in exile or dead...has congratulated the Egyptian people on the new constitution, according to the Russian Itar Tass news agency.
"We hope the Egyptian society will overcome current political and socio-economic difficulties and the country will return on the path of stability and growth," Putin said at a ceremony of presenting credentials by several ambassadors of foreign countries in the Kremlin on Thursday.
He asked the new Egyptian ambassador to convey the best wishes to the Egyptian leadership.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that approving the Egyptian constitution sets the ground for consensual reform among all segments of society.
Egypt sought better diplomatic and economic relations with Moscow following the US decision to stop financial and military aid in protest after Egyptian security forces killed almost 600 mostly peaceful protesters, and injuring thousands, in the dispersals of Rabaa al-Adawiya and Nahda squares last August.
Many Egyptian political figures criticized the move by US officials, saying it was further proof that the US has backed the Moslem Brüderbund all along and that Egypt should pivot towards an ally that would not critique its domestic affairs.