Gorbachev: Czech-Russian relations to further improve

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who turns 75 this week, told journalists in Moscow on Monday that he believed that relations between the Czech Republic and Russia would further improve in the future, indicating economic issues would play a dominant role. Mr Gorbachev made the comment ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin's upcoming visit to the Czech Republic this week. Discussing Czech issues, the former Soviet leader expressed regret over the 1968 Soviet-led invasion that crushed Czechoslovakia's Prague Spring - the reform movement dubbed 'socialism with a human face'. He called the decision to intervene "a mistake", indicating it had had a fateful impact on both countries.