In the framework of Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan’s official visit to the Russian Federation, Dmitry Medvedev and Karen Karapetyan held an expanded meeting at Russian Premier’s residence with the participation of the two countries’ official delegations. During a working breakfast, the two delegations discussed a wide range of issues of mutual interest.
In addition to the traditional vectors of interaction, the parties discussed ways of initiating and building up cooperative ties in several new areas through joint projects involving Russian capital.
As key agenda items, the two heads of government singled out the implementation of joint investment projects and the strengthening of trade and economic relations in the Eurasian Economic Union format.
The expanded meeting specifically discussed the proposal of the Armenian side to set up an Armenian-Russian investment fund with a view to funding Armenia’s priority economic sectors. The Russian side positively assessed the proposal. The parties looked at the possibility of Russian companies’ involvement in the free economic zone to be established near the Armenian-Iranian border. Appreciating the proposal, Russian Premier Dmitry Medvedev expressed the opinion that Russian companies will show interest in this issue.
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The meeting next looked at the possibility of providing agricultural equipment to Armenia under a lease agreement or other arrangement. The importance of setting up joint ventures in agriculture was emphasized on either side.
At the end of the extended meeting, the delegations of the Republic of Armenia and the Russian Federation signed a number of documents aimed at deepening bilateral cooperation. The following instruments were signed, in particular: the Protocol between the RA Ministry of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources and Rosatom State Corporation on implementation of practical steps to comply with the obligations assumed under the October 7, 2015 agreement between the governments of the Republic of Armenia and the Russian Federation on early notification of nuclear accidents and exchange of nuclear and radiation safety-related information; the 2016-2021 program of interregional cooperation between the governments of the Republic of Armenia and the Russian Federation; a memorandum of cooperation between the RA Ministry of Economic Development and Investment and the RF Ministry of Industry and Trade.
The sides exchanged notes on making amendments to the September 25, 2000 agreement between the governments of the Republic of Armenia and the Russian Federation on reciprocated visa-free visits of the citizens of the Republic of Armenia and the Russian Federation.
Later today, the Prime Ministers of Armenia and Russia met with mass media representatives and issued a statement summarizing the results of the meeting.