ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
December 1, 2004 Wednesday
Russia is stabilizing factor in Transcaucasia – view
By Syuzanna Adamyants
MOSCOW
The deputy speaker of the Armenian parliament said on Wednesday that
Russia is a stabilizing factor in Transcaucasia.
“Russia is a Caucasian superpower, and its presence is necessary in
Transcaucasia,” Vaan Ovanesyan stressed. “Russia and Armenia are old
friends and allies,” said Ovanesyan, who is co-chairman of the
Russian-Armenian inter-parliamentary commission. “These are not just
emotions, but a basis for strategic partnership,” the top
parliamentarian added.
He said a Moscow session of the commission had considered political
and military cooperation between Russia and Armenia. According to
him, the two sides stressed “a high level of political and military
cooperation between Russia and Armenia”. “That meets the national
interests of the two states, while a military union is a key element
of national security in the Caucasus,” he added.
A decision was reached at the session that the two countries should
encourage integration in the military industry between two countries’
enterprises with an aim to develop economic cooperation in the sphere
of military technologies.
The next session of the commission is due in Yerevan in May 2005.
The main aim of the inter-parliamentary commission, set up in the
late 1990s, is to create a strong legal basis for the integration
between Russia and Armenia.
The two states have signed 160 agreements. During political
consultations they exchange opinions on the entire range of bilateral
relations, on major international and regional issues.
Particular attention is paid to the improvement of the situation in
the Caucasus, to the development of multi-lateral cooperation,
including within the framework of the Caucasus Four group, to fight
against terrorism and prevention of conflicts, as well as to
cooperation within the CIS and its Collective Security Treaty,
EurasEC and other international organisations. Armenia has got an
observer status in EurasEC.