Putin tells investment forum Russia wants good ties, respect

ST PETERSBURG, Russia (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin said in a message to participants in a annual investment forum on Thursday that he wants to improve ties with other nations, but emphasized that Russia must be treated as an equal and its interests respected.

“Russia is ready to broaden multi-faceted contacts with all partners on the basis of true equality and respect for one another’s interests,” Putin said in a telegram welcoming participants in the St Petersburg International Economic Forum.

(Writing by Steve Gutterman- Editing by Lidia Kelly)