SARGSYAN WILL HOLD MEETINGS WITH MEDVEDEV

Interfax
Jan 18 2010
Russia

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan will hold meetings in Moscow with
his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev on Monday on ways to deal with
the consequences of the world financial crisis and the Nagorno-Karabakh
settlement issue.

"Dmitry Medvedev and Serzh Sargsyan will continue the conversation
they began in Moscow in October 2009 and discuss prospects of dealing
with the negative implications on our economies," a source at the
Kremlin told Interfax.

Between January and November 2009, Russian-Armenian trade turnover
reached $642.71 million, which is 21.5% less than it was in 2008,
the source said.

The meeting will also address "the implementation of the current
joint projects in the oil and gas industry, nuclear energy, and
infrastructure programs," the source said.

The meeting will also address Nagorno-Karabakh, the source said.

"In light of Russia’s mediation in the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement and
the trilateral meetings between the presidents of Russia, Armenia and
Azerbaijan, which have become regular, the presidents will discuss the
prospects of continuing the negotiation process and the possibilities
of achieving a compromise," the source said.

The two presidents will also discuss regional issues, the source said.

"They will check the clocks on the most vital issues relating to the
functioning of the Commonwealth of Independent States (Russia chairs
the CIS this year), the Collective Security Treaty Organization,
and the Eurasian Economic Community, in which Armenia has observer
status," the source said.