ArmInfo.Armenia highly appreciates Russia's mediation efforts as a co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group, in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. This June 11 at the opening of the concert dedicated to the Day of Russia, said Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian.
According to him, it was thanks to Russia's efforts that on May 12, 1994, an indefinite ceasefire agreement was signed between Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan and Armenia. "This allowed the parties to move on to the phase of political settlement of the conflict. Despite the continuing attempts by the Azerbaijani side to disrupt the implementation of this agreement, including large-scale military actions taken in April last year, Armenia, together with Russia and the co-chairing countries, continues efforts aimed at stabilizing the situation, creating conditions for the advancement of the negotiation process for an exclusively peaceful Settlement of the conflict," the Armenian minister said.
At the same time he noted that intensive ties are maintained between governments, parliaments, various departments of the two countries, Russia is an important trade and economic partner, Russian investments exceeded 3 billion USD, in Armenia there are more than 2000 enterprises with Russian capital. "Additional opportunities for the development of economic cooperation were opened by Armenia's accession to the Eurasian Economic Union. In addition, strong partnerships are developing between the regions of Russia and the regions of Armenia, and cooperation in the humanitarian sphere is deepening. Over the past 10 years, about 100 meetings between the leaders of our countries took place. Although this is natural for allied countries. Close cooperation has been established in the sphere of security, military-technical cooperation. Between our countries there is a solid legal framework, more than 200 contracts and agreements have been signed. Today, our joint efforts are aimed at continuing to search for new promising areas of our strategic cooperation, based on this solid foundation, to enrich it with new content. I am convinced that thanks to joint efforts, the Armenian-Russian allied relations will continue to be strengthened - for the benefit of our states and peoples, in the interests of peace, security and stability in the South Caucasus," the Armenian Foreign Minister said.
At the same time, Nalbandian added that in the history of the Russian state and society, the Day of Russia is associated with the beginning of important reforms aimed at ensuring the country's progressive development, and further strengthening its authority on the world arena. "The establishment of diplomatic relations opened a new page in the contemporary history of the centuries-old friendship of the peoples of our countries. And in peacetime, and in the years of difficult trials, we were always together. Throughout history, our fathers, our grandfathers, have fought shoulder to shoulder on the fronts of many wars. In the hard trials of the Great Patriotic War, a brilliant galaxy of military leaders grew up: 4 marshals, 60 Armenian generals. The highest award of the hero was awarded to 103 Armenians. The names of marshals Baghramyan, Babadzhanyan, Khudyakov, Admiral Isakov are a pride both in Russia and in Armenia. But not only military men, generals, but also many names of statesmen, representatives of science, art are our common pride. Who does not know the artist Aivazovsky, composers Khachaturian, Babadzhanyan, astrophysicist Ambartsumian, aircraft designer Mikoyan or the scientist Oganesyan, whose name is recently called the element of the periodic table, and many others. Our nations connect many deep threads, this multifaceted interstate relations between Armenia and Russia are being built on this solid foundation, "the minister concluded.