Russian FM arrives in Armenia on visit

ITAR-TASS, Russia
Feb 16 2005

YEREVAN, February 16 (Itar-Tass) — Russian Foreign Minister Sergei
Lavrov arrived in Yerevan on Wednesday for talks with the Armenian
leadership to discuss the situation in the Caucasus and the development
of bilateral relations.

He is scheduled to meet with President Robert Kocharyan, Prime Minister
Andranik Margaryan, and Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan on Thursday.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko said a good deal of
attention at the talks would be paid to “the coordination of efforts to
improve the situation in the Caucasus and resolve the conflicts there”.

“This is necessary in order to create an atmosphere of trust for
cooperation in the whole of the Caucasus,” the spokesman said.

Speaking about the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, Yakovenko said Moscow
“welcomes further Armenia-Azerbaijani dialogue at various levels,
foremost between the presidents.”

“The parties to the conflict should find a mutually acceptable solution
themselves,” the spokesman said.

Russia is ready to provide the most active assistance, including as
a co-chairman of the OSCE’s Minsk Group. It is also ready to become
a guarantor of the accord, Yakovenko said.

Moscow and Yerevan will also consider the stepping up of
Russian-Armenian interaction, in particular in resolving Armenia’s
transport problems and in the fuel and energy sector, as well as the
expansion of direct business ties.

“Relations with Armenia have acquired the character of a strategic
and allied partnership in recent years,” Yakovenko noted.

The sides will consider bilateral interaction within the framework
of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Collective Security
Treaty Organisation, the diplomat said.