London. January 30th. INTERFAX - Irish Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense Simon Coveney welcomed on Saturday Russia's decision to postpone the planned military exercises of the Russian Navy outside the Irish exclusive economic zone.
He noted that he had received assurances from the head of the Russian Defense Ministry, Sergei Shoigu, that the exercises would not be held off the southwest coast of Ireland.
"This week I wrote to my colleague, the Russian Defense Minister, asking him to reconsider the issue of conducting naval exercises off the coast of Ireland. Tonight I received a letter confirming that the Russian exercises will be moved outside the EEZ of Ireland," he tweeted.
"I welcome this response," Coveney stressed.
Russian Ambassador to Ireland Yuri Filatov said on Twitter that Shoigu decided to move the exercise zone "in response to requests from the Government of Ireland, as well as the Organization of Fish Producers in the South and West of Ireland."
