DHAKA, Nov 21 (BSS) - Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov today regretted for not being able to come to Dhaka due to schedule complications in a phone call to his counterpart Dr AK Abdul Momen and expressed his willingness to make the visit soon, the foreign ministry said.

   The foreign office statement said the two ministers expressed their desire to take Dhaka-Moscow relations to greater heights as they reviewed the existing bilateral ties.

  Lavrov was scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on November 23 to join the 22nd Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Council of Ministers (COM) meeting November 24 here.

   Momen, during the conversation, thanked Russia for its cooperation with Bangladesh in the construction of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant and invited Russian President Putin to visit Bangladesh on behalf of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

   He sought Russian support in commencing the repatriation of forcibly displaced Rohingyas from Bangladesh to Myanmar.

   In reply, Lavrov assured Momen he would talk to Myanmar authorities on the issue.

   The two ministers also discussed the cooperation between Bangladesh and Russia in the United Nations and other international organizations.

   Momen highlighted the role of the Soviet Union in the War of Liberation of Bangladesh and said that Dhaka will always remember it with gratitude.

   The Russian foreign minister greeted the Bangladesh prime minister on behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

   On Sunday, Momen attributed the cancelation to his Russian counterpart’s preoccupation due to the Russia-Ukraine war situation.
   "I can understand it. They are very busy. Their activities due to the war have increased to a large extent,” Momen said adding “maybe for that reason he (Lavrov) is unable to come".

   Asked about Bangladesh policy on Moscow, Momen yesterday said Bangladesh had been maintaining an independent and balanced foreign policy regarding the Russia-Ukraine war.

   The foreign ministry officials earlier said energy cooperation issue with Moscow was likely to largely feature the two foreign ministers talks.