EurasiaNet, NY
Aug 23 2007
ARMENIAN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENTS TO MEET IN SOCHI
8/23/07
A EurasiaNet Partner Post from RFE/RL
Russian President Vladimir Putin is hosting his Armenian counterpart,
Robert Kocharian, on a working visit to the Russian Black Sea resort
of Sochi today.
RFE/RL’s Armenian Service reports that Yerevan has been tight-lipped
about details of the talks. A short statement by Kocharian’s office
said only that they will center on "prospects for the development of
Russian-Armenian relations."
Kocharian’s press secretary, Victor Soghomonian, said separately that
the Armenian president plans to hold a number of other meetings in
Sochi, but did not elaborate.
Political analysts expect Putin and Kocharian to discuss the pipeline
pumping Iranian gas to Armenia.
Russia’s state-run gas monopoly Gazprom last year took control of the
pipeline’s Armenian section in exchange for setting gas prices at
half of European levels until January 1, 2009. Until that date,
Armenia will pay $110 per 1,000 cubic meters of natural gas.
Analysts say weapons purchases are also likely to top Kocharian’s
agenda. As a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization,
Armenia is entitled to buy Russian weapons at preferential prices.
Putin and Kocharian previously met in Sochi in January. The
one-on-one talks reportedly focused on Russian-Armenian commercial
relations, with the two presidents praising Russia’s increased
economic presence in Armenia and agreeing to boost it further this
year.
At that meeting, Putin noted the absence of "unresolved problems or
difficult issues" in Moscow’s ties with Yerevan, and welcomed growing
Russian-Armenian trade.