VIDEO: Armenian People Grateful to Russia for Support in Difficult Times, Says Armenian President at Meeting with Lavrov

The President of the Republic of Armenia, Armen Sarkissian, met with the Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov, on November 21.

According to the press service of the President of Armenia, in welcoming the Russian Foreign Minister and the representative delegation that arrived with him, President Sarkissian stated, "You have come to Armenia in a difficult time. It is a very difficult, one might say, crises period: There are major issues in the economic sector, a challenging situation post-war, our problems are also psychological, unfortunately, there is the coronavirus as well as many other issues. Overall, it is also difficult in the sphere of foreign policy."

President Sarkissian expressed gratitude to the Russian Foreign Minister for everything he has done for Armenia and the region over the years. He requested to convey his and the people's gratitude to the President of Russia for the support shown, especially during these challenging days. "No matter where Armenians live, they know that if it weren’t for your and Vladimir Vladimirovich’s efforts, we would still be losing young lives today," President Sarkissian stated. "In the early days of military actions, we knew that the leadership of the Russian Federation, personally the president, directed all efforts towards stopping them. We have once again been convinced that true friendship is evident during difficult times."

The Armenian President noted that currently there are two issues that need to be resolved and closely monitored to prevent them from becoming larger issues. "The first is to ensure that, following the joint statement, the cessation of military actions is not only implemented but continues in the following years. This is critically important for Armenia. And the second issue, which greatly concerns me, is related to stability in our country. Despite the difficulties and the crisis situation, solutions can always be found. Our children, friends, and even those who are not our friends will be watching how Armenia emerges from this situation. If it exits with dignity and unity, then we can say that we are a strong nation," he said.

Thanking for the meeting, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov pointed out, "The negotiations taking place here today allow us to consider all areas of our relations and agree on how to deepen them and make them more effective primarily for our citizens. We are grateful, and President Putin has asked me to personally convey his thanks for the appreciation you and the overwhelming majority of Armenian politicians and citizens have expressed regarding the joint statement of November 9, which was adopted by the Prime Minister of Armenia, the President of Azerbaijan, and the President of the Russian Federation. As I said, this allowed us to halt the war. The ceasefire is truly functioning for the first time, since there is a mechanism for monitoring the cessation of fire; it is the agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the implementation of peacekeeping operations has already begun, ensuring not only the regime of cessation of military actions but also providing humanitarian assistance to the population of Nagorno-Karabakh. Under Putin's directive, a humanitarian response inter-agency center is being established, which will quickly assist in addressing the humanitarian issues of the population. We are also actively engaging international organizations in this matter; the Red Cross has been working for a long time, as well as UN organizations."

The President of the Republic and the Russian Foreign Minister also addressed other issues on the agenda of Armenian-Russian cooperation.