RUSSIAN DEFENCE MINISTER UPBEAT ON TALKS WITH ARMENIAN COUNTERPART
ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow
20 May 04
Yerevan, 20 May: The Russian and Armenian defence ministers have at
their talks “taken yet another important step on the way towards
deepening the Russo-Armenian strategic partnership, the security
of our countries and the maintenance of peace and stability in the
Transcaucasus”, Russian Defence Minister Sergey Ivanov said today,
summing up the results of his meeting with his Armenian counterpart
Serzh Sarkisyan.
“We reviewed a broad range of issues relating to implementing
accords reached earlier on military and technical cooperation,
ensuring the operation of the Russian military base on the territory
of the Republic of Armenia and interaction in the sphere of military
construction and personnel training,” Ivanov explained. In addition,
he said, “we exchanged opinions on the development of the military
and political situation in the Transcaucasus region and clarified
positions on combating international terrorism”.
Ivanov pointed out that the decisions adopted during the talks
“were the natural result of the sides’ mutual interest in developing
all-round military contacts”. “They are a logical continuation of the
intensive work which the presidents of our countries are conducting
in order to develop interstate relations,” Ivanov stressed.
The Russian defence minister arrived in Yerevan today for a two-day
visit. On 21 May he will chair a meeting of the CIS Council of Defence
Ministers. The participants will afterwards be received by Armenian
President Robert Kocharyan.