RUSSIAN DEFENCE MINISTER ARRIVES IN ARMENIA ON VISIT

ITAR-TASS, Russia
Oct 30 2007

YEREVAN, October 29 (Itar-Tass) — Russian Defence Minister Anatoly
Serdyukov arrived in Yerevan on a two-day visit on Monday.

During the visit, he will discuss military and military-technical
cooperation with Armenia, his spokesman Alexei Kuznetsov told
Itar-Tass.

"During the talks with the head of the Armenian Defence Ministry,
Mikael Arutyuntyan, Anatoly Serdyukov will discuss regional security
and stability, as well as bilateral cooperation in the field of
defence," Kuznetsov said.

According to the Armenian Defence Ministry, Serdyukov will meet with
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisyan.

Serdyukov will visit Russia’s 102nd military base in Gyumri.

The Russian military base in Armenia is one of strongholds of security
in the country, Kocharian said in September 2006. "The base is deployed
in Armenia under the bilateral agreement and meets our interests. We
live in a difficult region, and the Russian military base is one of
components for our security," the Armenian president said.

Russian-Armenian military cooperation develops quite successfully,
Russian Ambassador to Armenia Nikolai Pavlov said. This cooperation
envisages "Russia’s participation in the guarding of the Armenian
state border with Iran and Turkey, the training of Armenian servicemen
at Russian military higher educational establishments, and military
equipment supplies to Armenia on preferential terms," the diplomat
said.