RUSSIAN PRESIDENT HAILS TIES WITH ARMENIA

Public Television of Armenia
Oct 21 2008

Excerpt from a speech by Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev at a
ceremony to mark the opening of Russia Square in Yerevan, broadcast
by state-owned Armenian Public TV on 21 October. Medvedev is paying a
two-day official visit (20-21 October) to Armenia for the first time
as Russian president.

Dear [President] Serzh Azatovich [Sargsyan], dear friends!

I am truly happy to visit Armenia one more time and open a new square,
Russia Square, in Yerevan today together with you. This event is not
just a happy one for all of us, it is truly momentous and it confirms
the sincerity and genuine nature of our brotherly feelings. It speaks
of the openness and depth of the relations between our countries. We
are now in a square named in honour of our country. With great
gratitude we perceive this as a sign of respect for contemporary
democratic Russia and its people. This is also a sign of respect for
our common history, recognition of the immense value and experience
of the centuries-long friendship. Russian citizens carry the same
attitude of full trust towards Armenia in their hearts. We value
this open neighbourliness and will do our best to ensure that
our strategic partnership gets stronger and develops so that the
traditions of mutual cultural enrichment increase both through new
projects and through closer, direct human links. Comprehensive and
multidimensional cooperation and also an understanding of the obvious
advantages in search of joint responses to the various threats in the
contemporary world serve to strengthen further the ties between Russia
and Armenia. I am sure that coordinated actions in the international
arena are a serious factor in security and strengthening our positions,
both in the Caucasus region and in the world. Dear friends, good and
kind neighbours are always happy about each other’s successes and
we can see how Armenia’s achievements have been increasing. This has
been especially noticeable in recent years. Speaking frankly, we are
directly interested in the Armenian people living in a strong and
prosperous state, in a stable state. We are sure that Armenia also
wishes Russia peace, strength and good things. Our successes are a
necessary condition for our partnership. The important thing is that we
both have the political will and, what is perhaps most important – the
striving of people, their being interested in developing joint business
and also joint humanitarian projects, and simply in communicating
the way the very closest people, people that help each other, do.