MEDVEDEV AND SARGSYAN DISCUSS BILATERAL RELATIONS, KARABAKH SETTLEMENT

ITAR-TASS
Jan 18 2010
Russia

GORKI, Moscow region, January 18 (Itar-Tass) –President Dmitry
Medvedev and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan are meeting at the
Russian leader’s residence outside Moscow to discuss bilateral
relations and the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

"We will discuss the current agenda, both economic and foreign policy
ones. We will talk about global problems and the serious projects we
are undertaking. We will certainly talk about the Nagorno-Karabakh
settlement, about what should be done this year because many good
things can be done for our relations and our peoples this year,"
Medvedev said.

He expressed hope that "the crisis downfall will end and the
instruments we talked about in terms of economic cooperation and
military and foreign policy cooperation will start working".

Sargsyan noted that this was his first international visit in 2010.

"This is the right time that allows us to review our work to strengthen
Russian-Armenian relations in 2009 and map out new plans for 2010,"
he said.

He said both economic and humanitarian relations had been intensified
last year. "I think there are grounds for achieving more in 2010. I
think we should do everything we can to make serious achievements in
our relations every year," the Armenian leader said.

He thanked Medvedev for help in strengthening peace in the region. "I
thank you and Russia for supporting our initiatives to strengthen peace
and security in our region. We want to solve all issues peacefully
and on that we are not only strategic allies but we probably think
alike," Sargsyan said.

"Absolutely so," Medvedev replied.

The Russian president said political contacts between the two countries
were developing quite actively: six or seven top-level meetings were
held in 2008 and 2009.

Medvedev received Sargsyan in his residence in Gorki. He and his wife
came out to the porch to greet Serzh and Rita Sargsyan. Medvedev then
invited Sargsyan to his office.

"We have the fireplace going today because of the severe frosts on
Epiphany," he said.