Nalbandian: Armenia highly appreciates Russia`s mediation efforts in  the settlement of the Karabakh problem

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.