Yerevan ex-Mayor to accompany Putin on his visit to Armenia - paper

PanARMENIAN.Net - According to Haykakan Zhamanak daily, Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit Armenia in early November.

As the sources close to the paper say, Putin will be accompanied by former Yerevan Mayor Karen Karapetyan, currently occupying the post of the First Vice President of Gazprombank, a major Russian bank.

Discussion of Karapetyan’s appointment to Prime Ministerial post will be on Putin’s visit agenda, sources say.

However, a new Prime Minister will be appointed only after the upcoming presidential elections in Armenia, with Karapetyan’s candidacy considered acceptable both by the ruling Republican Party of Armenia and Prosperous Armenia.

As Russian media reported October 11, Putin’s visit to Turkey to be followed by a travel to Azeri capital was delayed, which means the Russian leader preferred to retain parity in visiting Turkey, Azerbaijan and Armenia in November.