ITAR-TASS, Russia
Dec 1 2007

Russian-Armenian relations on rise – Armenian president

01.12.2007, 00.20

YEREVAN, November 30 (Itar-Tass) — Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan believes that the Russian-Armenian relations are on the
rise, the presidential press service said on Friday.

He said this during Friday’s meeting with a delegation of Russian
artists, which is headed by head of the Russian Agency for Culture
and Cinematography Mikhail Shvydkoi, the press service said.

The delegation includes Director of the State Hermitage Museum
Mikhail Pitrovsky, actors Armen Dzhigarkhanyan, Veniamin Smekhov,
Aleksandr Shirvindt, Igor Kostolevsky and editor-in-chief of Russia’s
magazine Ogonyok Viktor Loshak and other celebrities, the press
service said.

`You are very popular in Armenia owing to your talent,’ Kocharyan
said, adding, `Your example has inspired many generations.’

In Kocharyan’s opinion, a growth of cultural contacts is one of the
most important components of the bilateral interaction, the press
service said.

Participants in the meeting discussed humanitarian cooperation and
more intensive cultural contacts. They said it was important to
coordinate bilateral cultural contacts, the press service said.

The guests expressed opinion that favourable conditions were created
for the development of culture and arts in Armenia, the press service
said.

While receiving the Russian delegation, Armenian Prime Minister Serzh
Sargsyan lauded `the contribution of artists to efforts of national
authorities, which are aimed to strengthen Russian-Armenian
contacts.’

`Meetings of the kind give a possibility to preserve age-long bonds
of friendship and to enhance relations between the two peoples,’ the
prime minister said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress