President and Lavrov Discuss Regional Issues

Republic President Vahagn Khachaturyan received the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov, and his delegation today. Welcoming the Russian Foreign Minister, President Vahagn Khachaturyan stated, "I am glad to meet with you and welcome you to the presidential residence. You are always a welcome guest in Armenia and for the Armenian people. We are well aware of the role you have played during difficult times for Armenia. I am confident that the people of Armenia appreciate your efforts. We live today in peace thanks to your and President Vladimir Putin's efforts. I am always guided by the principle that friendship and good relations should be valued and cherished. One should especially appreciate relations with a country that has centuries-old ties. In this sense, of course, Russia is in the first place. I am confident that your visits, as well as those of official delegations and individuals, contribute to the development of our relations.

This year is special for us as we celebrate the 30th anniversary of establishing our diplomatic relations and the 25th anniversary of the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance between the Republic of Armenia and the Russian Federation. The year of this treaty is a bit special for me, as I had the honor of voting for the ratification of this treaty as a deputy. That was in 1997. That treaty was very important for Armenia at that time, and we once again reaffirmed our intentions that our further strategic partnership should be with Russia. Thank you once again for your visit. It is a great honor for me to meet with you and have the opportunity to discuss issues that are very important for both Armenia and Russia."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted, "We share your view and desire to develop Russian-Armenian allied relations. Allied relations primarily concern intergovernmental cooperation, and we actually have human relations and connections that are inseparable, and as you mentioned, are multi-century. This is the best basis for interstate relations. Thank you for the opportunity to meet. It is always a great honor for us to communicate with the leadership of Armenia and exchange thoughts on how the agreements are being implemented, how contracts are being fulfilled—from the major contract mentioned earlier to the latest decisions ratified by our parliaments. They are already numerous and, in fact, cover all areas and sectors, including economic, military-technical, humanitarian, educational, and high-tech fields. The high-tech field is familiar to you, and in your previous position, you made significant contributions to the development of this area, and I am confident that you will continue to contribute to the expansion of Armenian-Russian cooperation in this field. For us, it is very important.

Overall, the issues are related to the entire agenda of our bilateral relations and, of course, the efforts currently being made around the Nagorno-Karabakh issue based on agreements reached by the presidents of Azerbaijan and Russia and the Prime Minister of Armenia. There are three packages of agreements that are maximally specific and aimed at the complete settlement of the situation in this region. We know that this is of particular importance for the Armenian people, as the unblocking of transportation and economic ties is essential for the development of your country's trade and economic relations, as well as pure human relationships. All of this is very beneficial for our common South Caucasian "home." Thank you once again."

The President of Armenia and the Russian Foreign Minister addressed the agenda regarding the Armenian-Russian allied relations and their development, the situation around Nagorno-Karabakh, and regional security.