MOSCOW. Nov 6 (Interfax) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev hopes that U.S. President-Elect Barack Obama can lay a solid groundwork for Russian-U.S. relations.

"We hope the new president of the United States will be a successful leader capable of building proper domestic and foreign policy and lay solid foundations for relations between Russia and the United States of America," Medvedev told reporters in Moscow after talks with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

"Russia is ready for that, so we wish the new U.S. president success in it," he added.

Berlusconi, for his part, said he hoped Russian-U.S. relations would improve under Obama's presidency.

"Public opinion has been positive on Barack Obama, he is perceived as a messiah. We believe these hopes will come true," he said.

Both Medvedev and Obama belong to the same generation of politicians, Berlusconi said.

Obamba is "young, handsome and well-tanned" Berlusconi remarked, adding that "this is certainly a good starting point".

"As for me, I, thanks to my experience, will do everything that is necessary so that relations between the United States and Russia could develop to the best advantage," the Italian premier said.