ITAR-TASS, Russia
Medvedev to pay two-day official visit to Armenia
20.10.2008, 00.11
YEREVAN, October 20 (Itar-Tass) — Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
will arrive in Armenia on Monday on a two-day official visit at the
invitation of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, the Armenian
presidential press secretary told Itar-Tass on Sunday.
That would be the first Armenian visit of Medvedev in the presidential
capacity and the fifth meeting of the two chiefs of state in 2008, he
said. The presidents met in Moscow on March 24 and June 24, in
St. Petersburg on June 6 and in Sochi on September 2.
Following the official welcome ceremony, the two chiefs of states will
go to the Armenian presidential residence and share a meal.
The presidents will have a one-to-one meeting, and delegations will
join in later on. It is planned to sign a number of bilateral
documents. Medvedev and Sargsyan will make statements in comments on
the negotiations and give a press conference.
The presidents will attend the opening of Russia Square in front of
the Yerevan City Hall and the House of Moscow cultural and business
center.
Medvedev will visit the Tsitsernakaberd Park and the memorial to
victims of the 1915 Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire.
The presidents will discuss Russia-Armenia interaction in the solution
of Caucasian problems.
Intensive summit contacts `are an illustrative example of the
high-level political dialog targeted at further strengthening of the
strategic partnership and alliance between Russia and Armenia,’ a
high-ranking Kremlin source told Itar-Tass.
`The main item on the agenda of the Yerevan visit of Medvedev is
negotiations with Sargsyan,’ the source said. ‘The chiefs of state
will discuss a broad range of bilateral issues.’
`In addition, they will consider the Caucasian situation following the
Georgian aggression against South Ossetia and pressing international
issues,’ the source said. `Much attention will be given to the
agreements the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) reached
at the September session in Moscow. The member countries said they
would enhance coordination of their foreign policies. The organization
is being chaired by Armenia.’
`Ways of the Karabakh settlement will be discussed in the light of
Russia’s active and constructive mediation. The Russian position is
invariable: Moscow will continue to assist the search for mutually
acceptable solutions,’ the source said.
Trade and economic cooperation will be in the spotlight, the Kremlin
representative said. `Bilateral trade grew by 13% in January-August
2008 to $536.5 million,’ he said.
`Russia is a key foreign economic partners of Armenia. It ranks one of
the first by the amount of investments: Russian investments in Armenia
amassed from 1991 through July 1, 2008, exceeded $1.6 billion. Russia
invested about $428 million in Armenia in the first half of this
year,’ the source said.
`The sides will highlight broader energy cooperation. Gas energy
projects are successful, and there are promising plans for atomic
energy, geological survey and uranium mining,’ he said.
`Russian businesses ` Gazprom, Inter RAO, VTB, Russian Aluminum,
VimpelCom, AFK Sistema, Russian Railroads and Alrosa – are
successfully operating in key Armenian sectors,’ he said.
`Transportation problems in Armenia are being resolved thanks to
Russian consistent efforts. The modernization of the Armenian railroad
infrastructure started early this year, as the Armenian railroad was
taken in concession management by Russian Railroads,’ he said.
`Medvedev will attend the opening of Russia Square in Yerevan and the
launch of the Comstar ` United TeleSystems (a component of AFK
Sistema) Armenian project ` a national telecom network
Comstar-OTS. The network will offer ViMax broadband wireless Internet
service in Yerevan and another 18 cites of Armenia. The country has
never had such a network before. Also, it is one of the first networks
of the kind in the world,’ the source said. `Telecommunication is very
important for highland areas difficult of access, as well as for
social, emergency situations and security services.’
`Relations between Russian and Armenian regions are on the rise. About
70 constituents of the Russian Federation have established contact
with Armenia, and 16 of them have signed agreements on trade,
economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation. Another two
inter-regional agreements will be signed during Medvedev’s visit: the
Sverdlovsk region will sign an agreement with the Armenian government,
while the Yaroslavl region will sign an agreement with the Armavir
region,’ the source said.
`Humanitarian cooperation is very dynamic. There were years of Russia
and Armenia in 2005 and 2006, the Year of the Russian Language in
2007, the Season of Russian Culture in Armenia in 2008, and the Season
of Armenian Culture in Russia in 2009. A Russian book center opened in
Yerevan this spring in the attendance of the presidents’
spouses. Another important humanitarian event is due this November ` a
Russian science and culture center will open in Yerevan. The center
will be a key floor for broadening cultural, educational and
scientific relations,’ the source said.
The previous official Armenian visit of the Russian chief of state
(then President Vladimir Putin) was paid on September 14-15, 2001.
Putin had two working visits to Armenia: one on May 24-25, 2001, in
order to attend a meeting of the Collective Security Council of the
Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the other on March
24-25, 2005, in connection with the opening of the Russian Year in
Armenia.
Medvedev visited Armenia on May 30-31, 2005, as the head of the
presidential administration.
Boris Yeltsin made a brief visit to Armenia on September 21, 1991, in
the capacity of the Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Russian
Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. He paid the visit together with
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev in order to seek Karabakh
settlement ways.
Soviet leaders visited Armenia, as well. Nikita Khrushchev, then First
Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party Central Committee, visited
Yerevan in May 1961 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Soviet
Armenia. Then Secretary General of the Soviet Communist Party Central
Committee Leonid Brezhnev paid a similar visit in November 1970.
Then Secretary General of the Soviet Communist Party Central Committee
Mikhail Gorbachev visited Armenia in early December 1988 after the
devastating earthquake in northern areas.
Russian Emperor Nicholas I visited Yerevan in October 1832.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress