Presidents of Russia and Armenia in Moscow today to discuss issues of trade and economic cooperation, the prospects of major joint projects

MOSCOW, October 12. Itar-Tass. Presidents of Russia and Armenia to discuss at today's talks in Moscow on issues of trade and economic cooperation, strengthening of interregional cooperation, prospects for the realization of large joint projects in energy, military-technical cooperation. Told the representative of the Kremlin administration, commenting is seventh in the current year a meeting between the two leaders, ITAR-TASS.

"They were traditionally able to discuss a wide range of issues of Russo-Armenian relations, including the issues of further development of mutually beneficial economic and trade cooperation, strengthening of interregional cooperation, the prospects for realization of large joint projects in energy, military-technical cooperation, cooperation in regional organizations, the CIS, especially in the light of the October 9 summit in Chisinau, the CSTO, EurAsEC, a number of topical international order, "- he said.

In the Kremlin, noted that "despite the impact of the global financial crisis on the national economy, the scope of bilateral economic cooperation, Russia maintains a leading position external counterpart of the republic. At a certain reduction of trade turnover in January-August of 2009 g / fall of 20.2 percent for the same period 2008 / ongoing progressive realization of joint priority investment projects. In the first half of this year, investment from Russia to Armenia's economy have exceeded 122 million dollars, and accumulated over the period since 1991 Russia's investment amounts to approximately 3.2 billion dollars - almost half of all foreign investment in the country.

A Kremlin spokesman recalled that in order to provide Armenian partners financial assistance to overcome the crisis of socio-economic phenomena in June Yerevan given Russia's state financial loan in the amount of $ 500 million

At the Armenian market effectively operate the largest domestic company "Gazprom" (GAZP), "Inter RAO UES" (IRAO), VTB Bank (VTBR), RUSAL, "VimpelCom" (VIMP), AFK "Sistema" (AFKS) and "RZD" (RZHD).

Traditionally, the prime importance is energy cooperation. "Russia's economic agents to fully address the needs of Armenia's natural gas and nuclear fuel, has successfully implemented a joint gas and nuclear energy cooperation", - said the representative of the Presidential Administration.

At the present time to take sustained measures to improve transport links with the Republic of Armenia. With the transition in 2008 the Armenian railways in concession management "RZD" began their comprehensive modernization. Ensures the regular functioning of the railway ferry port of Kavkaz port of Poti.

"Military-political cooperation, both bilaterally and in multilateral formats, integration in the CIS has a strong stabilizing influence on the situation in the Caucasus" - believe in the Kremlin. "In this context, the presidents of Russia and Armenia to discuss the work of the collective defense treaty, including the subject of the collective functioning of the CSTO rapid reaction forces, including in light passing exercises now RRF" Interaction-2009 "in Kazakhstan," - said a spokesman for the Administration of President of Russia .

In the context of the development of mechanisms to cope with global crises and to promote innovative progress Dmitry Medvedev and Serzh Sargsyan will consider the results of the last 9 October at the CIS summit in Chisinau, as well as exchange views on dialogue within the framework of EurAsEC.