Russian Foreign Minister (FM) Sergei Lavrov has cancelled his scheduled Dhaka tour next week.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen attributed his preoccupation due to the war situation, reports BSS.
"I can understand it. They are very busy. Their activities due to the war have increased to a large extent,” Momen told reporters on the sidelines of a function at a hotel in Dhaka.
"He (Lavrov) wants to speak with me over the phone (instead of visiting in person). And I agreed," Momen said.
According to the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry officials said Moscow through its embassy here informed Dhaka in the form of a note verbal that Lavrov was unable to visit Bangladesh coinciding with the 22nd Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Council of Ministers (COM) meeting on November 24 in Dhaka.
Apart from attending the IORA, the Russian foreign minister was scheduled to call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and hold a bilateral meeting with his Bangladesh counterpart.
Bd-pratidin English/Golam Rosul
