ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
July 6, 2004 Tuesday 3:38 PM Eastern Time

Armenia is main strategic partner of Russia – MP Kokoshin

By Susanna Adamyants, Alexandra Urusova

MOSCOW

Armenia “is our main strategic ally with which we have no problems,”
Chairman of the Duma Committee for CIS Affairs and Relations with
Compatriots Andrei Kokoshin said after negotiations with Armenian
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan.

“The regional situation requires coordinated security efforts in the
Caucasus, the South Caucasus in the first turn,” he said.

“Negotiations between Vartan Oskanyan and Russian Foreign Minister
Sergei Lavrov, and Oskanyan’s meeting with Russian parliamentarians
displayed identical opinions about all items on the agenda. Russian
deputies said they were ready to contribute to the development of
bilateral relations,” Kokoshin said.

“A number of conceptual issues need a closer discussion,” Oskanyan
said. “Many conflicts in the world and the region require close
cooperation between Moscow and Yerevan.”

Parties to the negotiations at the Russian Foreign Ministry said
“there is no alternative to peace settlement of regional conflicts,
including the one in Nagorno-Karabakh.” Armenia “is a prime partner
of Russia, an ally in the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in
Europe, and a country with which Russia has lasting friendly
relations. In fact, we are one and the same people,” Lavrov said
referring to his Armenian blood.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress