Visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday pledged to accelerate the repayment of Russian debt to Germany and to open talks with Europe on Chechnya issue.

Putin, who is on a two-day Germany tour, made the pledges during his talks with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in Hamburg. He said he will speed up the repayment of Russian debt toGermany by giving the latter "a big Christmas present," said sources of the German government.

Germany is Russia's biggest foreign creditor, and the latter's repayment will be a very helpful in Berlin's efforts to bring its budget under the borrowing limits of the European Union.

On Chechnya issue, the Russian leader welcomed proposals put forward by Germany and other European countries.

"I would like to say we have examined and analyzed these proposals very carefully in Moscow. We would like to accept these proposals fully and completely," said Putin after his arrival in Hamburg.

Putin failed to give details about the proposals, but German sources said they involve a dialogue project and finical aid to Chechnya for resolving the issues.

Putin and Schroeder also agreed to respect the result of Ukraine's presidential re-runoff scheduled for Dec. 26, sources said.

Schroeder, while praising the bilateral economic relations as "developing extremely well," told reporters the two countries will promote cooperation "in the energy sector but not only in the energy sector."

The two leaders are scheduled to continue their talks at the Gottorf Castle near the Danish border north of Hamburg on Tuesday.

This was their 28th meeting in four years. The meeting was originally scheduled for September but postponed due to Russia's Beslan school hostage crisis, in which more than 300 people were killed.

Russia and Germany have enjoyed a good relationship, and both Putin and Schroeder strongly opposed to the US-led military operations in Iraq. But their relations have been somewhat strained due to the Ukrainian presidential runoff dispute, with Russia's open support for Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych and the West's allegedly financing opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko.

Source: Xinhua