Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited the Kamsky park in St. Petersburg where he laid flowers at the Komitas monument and the cross-stone dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the PM’s Office reported.

Thereafter, the PM visited the Hermitage Museum where he was welcomed by director of the Museum Mikhail Piotrovsky. Nikol Pashinyan had a meeting with a group of cultural figures and then toured the Museum.

He considered a great honor the meeting with artists and stated that the Armenian government is interested on constant development of the Armenian-Russian relations. “Our relations have always been at a high level, and I think that they are based on rich cultural ties which exist between the Armenian and Russian cultural figures. These are not only professional, but human ties: the professional ties strengthen the human ties and vice versa. We consider it necessary the further deepening of the cultural ties and attach importance to the fact that there are multiple exhibits in Hermitage with Armenian traces”, the PM said, stating that St. Petersburg has key significance for the Armenian people: numerous renowned Armenians lived, studied and carried out activity here.

Thereafter the PM answered to questions of the cultural figures which related to the Armenian-Russian relations, cultural cooperation, the ongoing changes in Armenia, the Armenian-Turkish relations and etc.

As for the Armenian-Turkish relations, the PM said Turkey ties these relations with the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and considered strange that the Turkish side links the relations with Armenia with the relations with a third country. “The border between Armenia and Turkey has been closed by Turkey, it can be considered as not closed by Armenia. The international recognition of the Armenian Genocide is very important for us, and now Armenia is one of the leaders in fight against genocides”, Nikol Pashinyan said. “We are ready to establish diplomatic relations with Turkey without any precondition”.

The PM also left a note in the honorary guest book. Pashinyan has completed his working visit to Russia.