ITAR-TASS, Russia
March 23 2007
Moscow mayor opens `Moscow House’ in Yerevan
23.03.2007, 16.20
YEREVAN, March 23 (Itar-Tass) – The doors of Moscow House, which is
in the very centre of the Armenian capital, right opposite the
Yerevan Municipal Council, were flung wide open on Friday. The smart
modern building was put by Moscow building agencies in a matter of
only eighteen months. Yerevan architect Levon Vartanyan is author of
the project. `This is not only a symbol of strategic partnership
between the two nations, but also a symbol of the new principles, on
which all the relations are being cultivated on the entire
post-Soviet space, in particular, between Moscow and Yerevan,’ Moscow
Mayor Yuri Luzhkov stated. He came here a few hours before the House
opening ceremony. Luzhkov described Moscow House as a material
embodiment of cooperation between the two cities and nations’.
Yerevan Mayor Ervand Zakharyan stressed, in turn, that Moscow House
and the big apartment house, which the Russian capital was building
on the Northern Avenue of Yerevan. `will help further promote the
relationships between the two nations in economy, science and
culture’. It is one of the projects, included in the program of
Moscow-Yerevan contacts in the period from 2005 to 2007, the Yerevan
mayor noted.
The `Yerevan’ trade house, one of the largest commercial
establishments of the Russian capital, will be opened in Moscow on
Saturday, Luzhkov stated. Its purpose `is to market Armenian-made
goods, which are bound to be in high demand among Moscow shoppers,’
the mayor stressed.
The Friday talks here were devoted to the construction in Moscow of
an Armenian Logistics Centre, Luzhkov disclosed. `It will feature
technical appliances, mass consumption products, and foodstuffs,
which the Armenian side is ready to offer for sale in Russia,’ the
Moscow mayor stressed. He recalled that Moscow was `quite experienced
in setting up such logistics centres’. Luzhkov is sure that `this
will be economically expedient for the further development of the
economies of Russia and Armenia’.
`We spoke about human contacts, inter-state relations, and cultural
ties,’ the Moscow mayor divulged. `We are now working in comfortable
conditions, which the leaders of the two countries had created for
us. They have determined that cooperation between Russia and Armenia
is their strategy,’ he stressed.
Luzhkov handed to his Yerevan counterpart a symbolic gold key to
Moscow House. It will be passed over for eternal safekeeping to the
Yerevan History Museum, the new premises for which will be shortly
opened at the Municipal Council of the Armenian capital, Zakharyan
announced.