Thursday, 13 October 2005
Today RA Prime Minister A. Margaryan has received Chairman of the Armenian-Russian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic and Scientific Cooperation, Minister of Transport of Russian Federation Igor Levitin.
Having emphasized the present high level of the Armenian-Russian cooperation in various fields, the parties stressed the role played by the Armenian-Russian intergovernmental commission on economic and scientific cooperation. Satisfaction was expressed at the recent growth of the bilateral trade turnover which had reached the mark of USD120.4 mln equaling to a 31% increase against the same period last year.
Russia was said to remain Armenia's largest trade partner with a 160 interstate and intergovernmental agreements-strong legal framework allowing to further expand the existing scope of cooperation.
According to the interlocutors, the Armenian-Russian ties will be further strengthened by the 2005 celebrations of Russia's Year in Armenia and Armenia's Year in Russia to be marked in 2006. The Prime Minister also emphasized the increase in direct intercourse and collaboration between different administrative units of the two countries and the mutually beneficial arrangements made during the recent mutual visits. Mr. Margaryan said that the settlement of the issue of transport communications would give a strong impetus to the development of economic ties and, for this very reason, Armenia attached great importance to the ensuring of uninterrupted flow of goods and passangers across Poti-Kavkaz ferry crossing, which unfortunately had so far failed short of expactations. He also stressed our country's keen interest in the re-commissioning of the Abkhazian stretch of Georgian railway which was said to be economically far more advantageous to both Russia and the whole region.
The parties have also discussed the possibility of a tripartite task-sharing arrangement between Russia, Armenia and Georgia regarding the construction of the r/w line. Mr. Margaryan stated that, in effort to activate this process, Armenia had repeatedly raised the question of re-commissioning during the meetings held with the Georgian authorities.
The head of GOA and the co-chairman of the Armenian-Russian intergovernmental commission have similarly referred to the resumption of the operations of the Armenian enterprises handed over to Russia. Mr. Levitin assured that the working groups set up for this purpose were working actively as the Russian side itself was as much interested in the speedy re-operationalization of these entities. In closing of the meeting, the two sides expressed the hope that the Prime Minister's scheduled visit to Russia later this year would add a momentum to the development of the Armenian-Russian political and economic relationship.
