Pashinyan: In addition to the traditional areas of interaction with  Russia, it is necessary to find ways of further development

ArmInfo.Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan sent a message on the occasion of the opening of the Armenian-Russian interregional forum. 

As the press service of the RA PM reports, the message reads, in  part: "Dear friends, Ladies and gentlemen,

On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Armenia, I would like  to welcome all the participants of the 8th Armenian-Russian  Interregional Forum.

We are glad to host all our guests from Russia.

Interregional forums have a history of ten years.  They have become  one of the important institutions of cooperation within the framework  of the allied relations between our two countries. The  Armenian-Russian interregional cooperation, which is based on about  two dozens of agreements, covers a really wide geography. It includes  almost all regions of Armenia and the administrative units located in  the most diverse corners of the Russian Federation, including the  Oblasts of Leningrad, Orenburg, Yaroslavl, Omsk, Ulyanovsk,  Arkhangelsk, Rostov and Vologda. The existence of these ties is one  of the bright manifestations of the exceptional relations between our  two countries.

The Russian Federation not only plays a key role in maintaining peace  and stability in our region, but also plays a central role in our  country's economy. Russia is Armenia's leading trade partner.  In  2019, our trade turnover exceeded the threshold of $ 2.0 billion,  while this year we have already recorded a double-digit trade growth.

Russia is also a leader in terms of investments in Armenia, and has  an exceptional role in the development of our country's  infrastructure. Among the recent investments, it is necessary to  point out the technology transfer for the release of the Sputnik  Light Vaccine, which is particularly important for our country in the  light of the fight against the pandemic.

The level of economic cooperation between our countries corresponds  to the requirements stemming from the nature of the allied relations,  but it does not mean fixing a static situation, on the contrary, it  requires constant work, development and improvement.  The world is  changing rapidly, and our relations must meet the demands coming from  those changes. We need to improve our economic relations so that they  contribute to the development of competitive economies in our  countries. In the context of what I said, we highlight the further  rapprochement and mutual integration of our economies, which should  be based on the free movement of goods, services, labor and capital.  The Eurasian Economic Union, in turn, serves that strategic goal, and  we are interested in strengthening that structure and improving its  institutions. The imperative of diversification of our economic ties  is also obvious.

In addition to the traditional areas, it is necessary to find ways to  further develop cooperation in the fields of high technology,  innovation and knowledge-based economic sectors. I am convinced that  today's event is one of the tools that best serves the above goals.

I once again greet all the participants of the forum, wishing them  effective work for the prosperity of our countries and peoples.

Thank you,"  PM Pashinyan concluded.