IVANOV HAILS STRONGER RUSSIAN-ARMENIAN TRADE, ECON COOPERATION

ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
April 11, 2007 Wednesday

Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov has hailed stronger
trade and economic relations between Russia and Armenia.

"There cannot be relations, moreover between friends, without
problems. There is the shortage of contracts for some Russian
enterprises in Armenia, but I want to point to upward trends in
bilateral trade and economic cooperation," he told a joint news
conference with participation of Armenian Prime Minister Serzh
Sarkisian on Wednesday.

The bilateral trade that increased by 70-80 percent of late proves
these trends.

"Russia stably ranks first in the influx of foreign investments in
Armenia’s economy. At our today meeting Armenian President Robert
Kocharian said what is more pleasing is that not ethnic, but economic
investments grow," Ivanov said.

"This concerns energy, including nuclear one, transport and
communications, mainly mobile one. These are areas that account for
highest investments in Armenia’s economy," he said.

"Of course, we have problems, and we do not evade them, but resolve
them," Ivanov said.