RIA Novosti, Russia
July 13 2004
RUSSIA-ARMENIA: ECONOMIC TIES TO RISE TO POLITICAL CONTACTS’ LEVEL,
SAYS FRADKOV
MOSCOW, July 13 (RIA Novosti) – Bilateral problems related to Russian
capital investment in Armenia will soon be settled, reassured Mikhail
Fradkov, Russia’s Prime Minister. He was addressing the media to sum
up Moscow negotiations with Andranik Margaryan, his Armenian
counterpart.
A recent arrangement envisages Armenia paying its foreign debt in
kind, with government companies privatized in Russia’s favor. Russia
is to respond with capital investment in the Armenian economy-but is
marking time. A reporter asked Mr. Fradkov why. “The matter needs
in-depth studies, promotion and coordination between involved
companies-but it will be settled quite soon. We [Russians] are
interested in buying up more projects. The issue is certainly not
exhausted by far,” he replied.
As for today’s agenda, it involved a wide range of commercial,
investment and other aspects of bilateral economic contacts.
“The intergovernmental commission will gather for its nearest session
within the year to discuss economic, humanitarian and
military-technological partnership, and Armenia’s prospects to pay
its debt by ceding property to Russia, its creditor.
“We have reserves which we have not used up, and are in duty bound to
raise bilateral economic contacts to the level of what we have in
politics.”
Russia is interested in updating military technologies it has
exported to Armenia. “Our military-technological partnership is
gaining momentum. Russian higher educational establishments are
training the Armenian military, and either Party is eager, and able
to make the links ever closer as Russia updates its previous
military-oriented exports to Armenia, and supplies spare parts.
“Gas-industrial contacts are also making dynamic progress. A related
cooperation agreement will be ready within a few days.”
Both countries’ interests lie not merely in fuel and power supplies
but spreading them to third countries’ markets, Mr. Fradkov went on.
Russia is enthusiastic about the Russian language use increasing in
Armenia. Its tuition spectacularly improves. Russia is eagerly
helping-in particular, with study book donations. A total of 55,000
copies came in within the preceding two years alone. Armenia
presently has 65 secondary schools with extended Russian language
curricula, plus fifty Russian language classes: Armenians need a
working command of Russian as bilateral relations are ever improving,
said Mikhail Fradkov.
Andranik Margaryan, too, highlighted his country’s great public
respect for the Russian language. “Armenian-Russian economic ties
help to improve language tuition, which life itself has made a must,”
he stressed.
An intergovernmental agreement on educational partnership was signed
today, following the prime-ministerial negotiations.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress