YEREVAN. - The Armenian leadership is consistent in its course of developing bilateral cooperation with Russia, as well as in the framework of integration unions, Chairman of Russia's Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko stated today at a briefing in the Armenian government, referring to the signing of the future agreement on partnership between Armenian and EU.

According to her, this is a normal international practice. “We don’t see any threats here. I’m absolutely confident that the century-old relations of friendship, brotherhood and mutual understanding between the Russian and Armenian people are not subject to any changes, [and] any external factors – they are unalterable like a constant,” Matviyenko said.

In her words, both Armenian and Russian nations are interested in this. “Armenia’s participation in the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and CSTO doesn’t ban it from developing cooperation with the European Union (EU) and NATO. I’m sure that the agreements which will be signed with Armenia will apparently not be to the detriment of the structures which have already been established and which Armenia is interested in,” she said.  

On October 12 FMs of EU member-states provided mandate for talks with Armenia on signing a new agreement, which will consider Armenia’s obligations in the framework of the EEU. The talks are scheduled to begin by the end of this year.