YEREVAN. – April 3 will mark establishment of the 20th years of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Russia. Russian FM Sergei Lavrov made a two-day visit to Yerevan on Monday for this significant occasion.
“We have been meeting very frequently and we had 10 meetings last year and already 4 his year,” Armenian FM Edward Nalbandian said during a joint press conference adding inter-parliamentary cooperation is being developed, as well as contracts on the regional level are strengthened.
Goods turnover has reached $1 billion, while Russian investments make $3 billion. Cooperation on humanitarian, cultural and educational fields is being developed as well. All these are based on quite a wide range of legal bases (over 200 agreements).
In his turn, Russian FM said that the history of two states has deep roots and celebration of the date marks the start of bilateral cooperation in new geopolitical realities.
“We have come to a decision that all those meetings have led to a better condition of relations and they are becoming more effective in various fields, including the political dialogue, close mutual cooperation between ministries and agencies,” Lavrov said.
The Russian Minister also stated effective mutual cooperation within international organizations including the UN, the OSCE, the CE and the BSEC.
Among other issues, the FMs discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process. According to Lavrov, Russian Presdient Dmitri Medvedev has had over dozens meetings with is Armenian and Azerbaijani counterparts during the recent two and a half years developing works carried out by OSCE Minsk Group.
“The work is not yet over in order to reach a common understanding of the Basic Principles, which are the base of the peace process. However, the Armenian, Azerbaijani and Russian Presidents on Jan. 23 meeting in Sochi have stated their readiness to continue efforts to arrive to an agreement. Russia, as a Co-Chair of the OSCE MG will support it in case the conflicting sides [Armenia and Azerbaijan] desire to,” Lavrov stated.
Russian FM will also meet with the Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, the PM Tigran Sargsyan and the Speaker Samvel Nikoyan.
