RUSSIA AND ARMENIA PLEDGE TO DEVELOP RELATIONS
Euronews.net
March 25 2008
France
The presidents-elect of Russia and Armenia have pledged to enhance
bilateral relations as they met in Moscow for the first time. Serzh
Sargsyan was making his first foreign visit to Moscow since his
election last month. Dmitry Medvedev will take over Russia’s presidency
on May the 7th. Sargsyan also met outgoing Russian leader Vladimir
Putin, who said he hoped Armenia would remain a staunch ally of
the Kremlin.
Experts say the warm ties between the two countries are unlikely to
change under the new leaders because both men are close allies of
their outgoing presidents. Armenia also houses a Russian military
base and receives Russian gas at preferential rates.
In return, it has the support of Russia in its territorial conflict
with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh. Russia recently supported
Armenia with its vote at the UN during a debate for a resolution on
the issue.
The election of Sargsyan, a long-time ally of outgoing President
Robert Kocharian, sparked violent protests by the opposition, who
claimed the vote was rigged.
Riots in the capital, Yerevan, led to the introduction of a state of
emergency that was only lifted last Thursday.
Eight people were killed and around 200 injured in the clashes.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
