Russia FM talks Karabakh, Turkey, trade turnover in Yerevan

 June 23, 2014 - 18:20 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia favors the dialogue between the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents, Russia’s Foreign Minister said Monday, June 23, according to ITAR-TASS.

“We’ll help find solutions to the remaining unsettled issues,” Sergei Lavrov said at the joint news conference with his Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian in Yerevan.

“Now it is necessary to coordinate the parameters of the Nagorno Karabakh settlement in compliance with the statements, made by the Russian, U.S. and French presidents in the last 4-5 years,” Lavrov said.

“Consistent steps should be taken to continue the work of the OSCE Minsk Group,” he said.

“Russia will do its best to continue the dialogue between the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents,” Lavrov said, noting that the effectiveness of Karabakh talks depends on the regularity of the presidential meetings.

Foreign Minister Nalbandian was further asked to comment on Russia’s possible assistance in normalizing relations with Turkey, Panorama.am reported.

“Russia takes every effort to assist in the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations,” Nalbandian said.

As he noted, Lavrov was present at the signing of the Armenian-Turkish Protocols in Zurich in October 2009, which is also a sign of Russia’s assistance in the rapprochement.

“Russia as well as the other countries supporting the process expressed their position in numerous statements, suggesting that the Armenian Turkish Protocols must be ratified without preconditions,” Nalbandian said.

Lavrov, in turn, stressed that Russia supports normalization of relations between Yerevan and Ankara and that before and after the signing of the Protocols, Moscow expressed its willingness to contribute to the normalization process.

The Foreign Ministers also discussed Yerevan’s participation in Eurasian integration and cooperation within international structures, ITAR-TASS said.

“Russia backs Armenia’s involvement in Eurasian integration. We discussed cooperation in different international organizations, including within the UN, the Council of Europe, the CIS, the OSCE [Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe] and the CSTO [Collective Security Treaty Organization],” Lavrov told a news conference.

“Russia and Armenia maintain strategic partnership based on centuries-long friendship, mutual assistance and good-neighborliness. This is an important factor for ensuring stability of our states and maintaining regional stability,” Lavrov said.

“The regular and trust-based high-level dialogue gives an impetus to our multilateral relations. Today we’ve discussed implementation of agreements, reached in the course of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Yerevan last year and at the meeting between our presidents in Moscow on May 8,” he said.

“We hail the work of the intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation. Similar commission for military-technical cooperation also operates. Recently the inter-parliamentary commission has met. We expect the Armenian speaker to arrive in Moscow in early July,” he said.

“We believe that strengthening of inter-parliamentary relations will facilitate further development of cooperation,” Lavrov said.

“Trade turnover between Russia and Armenia increases. The figures, cited by Mr Nalbandian- over 10% per year - are serious,” he said.

“Russia’s investments in the Armenian economy reach over $3 billion. Many Russian companies — Gazprom, Russian Railways, VTB, Inter RAO EES and others work in Armenia,” Lavrov said.

Later, at a meeting with President Serzh Sargsyan, Lavrov expressed hope for good news from Sochi today (June 23), where Armenia’s membership in the Customs Union is being discussed.