FIVE ARMENIAN ENTERPRISES PASSED INTO OWNERSHIP OF RUSSIA AS STATE DEBT PAYOFF

PanARMENIAN.Net - The shares of five Armenian enterprises have been passed into the ownership of Russia as a payoff of the state debt of Armenia to the Russian Federation. The corresponding documents were signed by co-chair of the Armenian-Russian economic cooperation commission, defense minister Serge Sargsian and Russian co-chair of the commission, minister of industry and science of Russia Ilya Klebanov upon the completion of intergovernmental negotiations in Yerevan today. The shares of "Mars" CJSC, "Yerevan research institute of science of materials" CJSC, "Yerevan research institute of mathematical machines" CJSC, "Yerevan research institute of automated management systems" CJSC, as well as the property of Hrazdan heat power plant were passed into Russian ownership. Thereby Armenia fully repaid the debt to Russia, which was some $101 million, said Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov, who is in Yerevan on an official call. He evaluated the passing of ownership as fitting both the interests of Armenia and Russia, and the latter pledged to secure full operation of the enterprises passed into its ownership. Today agreement on cooperation in the sphere of using the bowels and water resources was also signed between the ministries of nature of Russia and Armenia. Agreement on mutual protection of secret information was also signed by the governments of the two countries.