ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN RELATIONS ON THE RISE — KOCHARYAN

ITAR-TASS, Russia
Feb 7 2008

YEREVAN, February 6 (Itar-Tass) — Russian-Armenian relations are
on the rise and have a brilliant future, Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan said in a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov
on Wednesday.

In his words, economic ties have become the locomotive of bilateral
cooperation, and Russian capital comes to different sectors of the
Armenian economy.

"Effective programmes are underway. We expect this integration to
expend further," he added.

The president stressed the dynamic development of cooperation in the
field of infrastructure, the presidential press service told Itar-Tass.

Kocharyan and Zubkov said trade turnover between Russia and Armenia
was coming close to one billion U.S. dollars and existing results
cerate good prerequisites for more ambitious and promising programmes.

In their view, the effective work of the bilateral inter-governmental
commission on economic cooperation also contributes to this success.

Kocharyan and Zubkov also noted the importance of intensified
cooperation in the humanitarian sphere, in the field of culture and
education. The president of Armenia and the prime minister of Russia
agreed that interaction in these fields should be coordinated better.