Russian Defense Minister visits Armenia

Secretary of the National Security Council at the President of Armenia, Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan, Armenian Armed Forces General Staff Chief, Deputy Defense Minister Mikayel Harutyunyan and other officials saw the Russian guest in at Zvartnots international airports.

In a conversation with journalists Ivanov said he arrived in Armenia with a planned visit, during which he will discuss the entire complex of bilateral relations matters in military and military technical spheres with Armenian MOD head, as well as the military and political leaders. In Ivanov's words, it is planned to discuss regional security, prospects of development and enlargement of a wide spectrum of Russian-Armenian relations, relating to defense matters. Answering a question on his "pessimistic mood" regarding the OSCE role in settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Ivanov remarked, "I was asked what will hypothetically happen if, and who could theoretically lead a peacekeeping operation and under whose aegis it is to be held and what is my attitude, again hypothetically, towards the OSCE. I expressed my personal opinion and you know it."

Later on Thursday Armenian President Robert Kocharian met with Sergey Ivanov. During the meeting the parties discussed military and technical cooperation between the two countries. They were content with the level and quality of relations in that field. Sergey Ivanov informed the Armenian President that his visit program includes a call to the 102nd Russian military base situated in Gyumri city. Besides, the interlocutors discussed matters of regional cooperation, as well as the settlement process of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

R.Kocharian presented the prospects of settlement of the conflict, touching also the issue of the meeting of Armenian and Azeri presidents scheduled in Paris.

It should be reminded that S.Ivanov's visit was postponed owing to bad weather conditions. The Russian MOD head arrived in Armenia from Azerbaijan. At the end of his meeting with journalists he said he appreciated traditional Russian-Armenian military relations, reported Regnum.

/PanARMENIAN.net/