Putin vows desire for stability in Baltic area

KALININGRAD, Russia (BNS) - Russian President Vladimir Putin told Baltic Sea naval representatives gathered in Kaliningrad for Russia's Navy Day festivities that Russia wishes to maintain stability in the Baltic Sea region.

Generally speaking, this was all that Putin said to the neighboring countries' naval leaders, Estonian navy chief Cmdr. Jaan Kapp, who participated in the meeting, told BNS on July 31.

Putin exchanged a couple of words with Lithuania's government reform and municipalities minister Jonas Rudalevicius, the only civilian head of a foreign delegation attending the festivities.

Russian diplomats said this was a good sign which showed continued cooperation between Lithuania and Russia's Kaliningrad region.

"The Lithuanian delegation once again emphasized how important was cooperation with Russia. That Minister Rudalevicius exchanged words of greeting with Putin is a good sign which shows that active cooperation continues," a diplomat said.

Apart from Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia, also Poland, Germany and Sweden had sent their official delegations to the celebration of Russian Navy Day, the main events of which this year took place in the Baltic Sea enclave of Kaliningrad.