PUTIN SUGGESTED TO KOCHARYAN DISCUSS DEVELOPMENT OF TRADE AND ECONOMIC RELATION

ITAR-TASS, Russia
Aug. 15, 2006

SOCHI, August 15 (Itar-Tass) — Russian President Vladimir Putin
suggested to Armenian President Robert Kocharyan to discuss the
development of bilateral trade and economic relations and to dwell
on topical problems of the region.

"As regards economic relations, the trade turnover between our
countries is rising, and, I am sure, we have good prospects for
growth," Putin said on Tuesday, opening the meeting with Kocharyan.

"The business community wishes to develop this cooperation."

"We will have themes to discuss today and tomorrow," the Russian
president said. "I expect we will have a general debate with the
colleagues in the EurAsEC."

"As to the known complicated problems in the region, I believe we
will have time to discuss them, too," Putin added.

Kocharyan, on his part, suggested giving more attention to investment
cooperation. "I believe the growth of trade turnover is hard to expect
without the solution of communication and transportation problems,
so it is necessary to concentrate on the aspect of investment,"
he said. "There exist quite a number of promising projects."

The presidents of the two countries also noted that the Year of
Armenia is now held successfully in Russia.