Citizens of Armenia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan will serve in the Russian Federal troops of the North-Caucasian Military Okrug on the contractual basis.

In John Ordway's words, Washington and Moscow cooperate on many issues referring the South Caucasus, the issue of cooperation with Armenia included.

Russian minister of foreign affairs Igor Ivanov stated opening in Moscow the negotiations with his Armenian associate Vardan Oskanian.

Today Secretary of the Security Council at the Armenian President, defense minister Serge Sargsian and Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Mohammad Farhad Koleini discussed the issues of the regional security.

Today Armenian foreign minister refuted the rumors that Georgian President appealed to the Armenian leadership for help to resolve the complicated situation created in Georgia.

Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Nikolay Ryabov considered the opinion spread in the foreign counties that newly elected Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is Moscow's protégé to be mere conjecture.

Russian Ambassador to Armenia Anatoly Dryukov conferred Russian orders "For Bravery" and "For Service in Battle" on 9 Armenian veterans of Afghan war.

In Armenian defense minister Serge Sargsian's words, the negotiations are being conducted with the US and Iraq's neighbor countries for the purpose of securing the legal basis for the execution of the operation.

A platoon of Armenian soldiers within the Greek battalion is to leave for Kosovo with a peacemaking mission presumably January 2004.