VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
Russia and Armenia established diplomatic relations on April 3, 1992. They have signed more than 160 interstate, intergovernmental, and interdepartmental treaties and agreements, including the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance of August 29, 1997 that regulates the presence of Russian military units on Armenian territory. During the Armenian President's official visit to Russia in September 2000, an agreement was signed on the Declaration of Allied Cooperation oriented to the 21st century.
The two countries are maintaining active political dialogue at the highest levels. During his working visit to Moscow on March 23-24 last year, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan met with Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin. Medvedev also talked with him on the sidelines of the informal CIS summit and the 12th St Petersburg International Economic Forum on June 6, 2008. Sargsyan paid his first official visit to Moscow on June 23-25. Medvedev held a working meeting with Sargsyan in Sochi on September 2, 2008. The Russian President paid an official visit to Yerevan on October 20-21, 2008. His Armenian counterpart visited Moscow to take part in the international conference on Russian gas supplies to Europe on January 17-18. On January 17 he had a conversation with Medvedev.
The Chairman of the Armenian National Assembly, Ovik Abramyan, paid an official visit to Moscow on November 17-18. Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisyan came on an official visit to Moscow on December 5, 2008.
Russia and Armenia have similar or identical positions on most key international issues. Yerevan shares Moscow's policy of consolidating the CIS. Yerevan believes that Armenia's participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) that it has chaired since September 2008 is a major element of national security.
Russian-Armenia military cooperation is aimed at guaranteeing the security of the two countries, the CIS's southern flank, and stability in the South Caucasus. The Armenian armed forces carry out combat alert missions as part of the CIS Joint Defence System. The defence ministries of both countries cooperate on a regular basis. The 102nd Russian military base is stationed on Armenian territory. Russian Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov visited Yerevan in October 2008.
In the estimation of the Federal Tax Service (FTS), in 2005 bilateral trade increased 40%; in 2006 by almost 70% and in 2007 by 65.5%. In January-November of 2008 trade increased 15.1 % over the same period in 2007 to reach $822.3 million. Balance of trade has been favourable for Russia during the last seven years.
Russia has become a major investor into the Armenian economy. Since 1991, Russia has invested more than $1.8 billion. For the most part, Russia has channelled these funds into the energy sector, the banking system, ore mining and smelting companies, construction and communications. Russian companies fully or partially own a number of major fuel-and-energy companies and facilities, such as ArmRosgazprom, the Razdan thermal power plant, Sevano-Razdansky hydroelectric power plants and the Armenian nuclear power station and distribution grids.
To tie Armenia's transport system with the rest of the world, a regularly scheduled railway ferry has been launched between the ports of Kavkaz and Poti. Armenia has granted rights to its railway system to South Caucasus Railways, a subsidiary of Russian Railways.
Interregional ties between regions of the two countries are also growing. About 70 Russian regions maintain them.
Russia and Armenia continue to develop their cultural cooperation. In 2005-2006, they held the Year of Russia in Armenia and the Year of Armenia in Russia. In 2008, Armenia conducted a Season of Russian Culture, and in 2009 Russia will organise a Season of Armenian Culture. Armenia takes part in the implementation of Russia's initiative for developing multilateral cultural cooperation within the CIS format.
The Russian-Armenian (Slavic) University was founded in Yerevan in 1999. More than 2,000 students are studying there. Nine affiliates of Russian colleges and universities operate in Armenia. In the 2006-2007 academic year, more than 5,000 Armenians studied in Russian higher educational establishments. For over 3,000 of them education expenses were fully reimbursed. Russia traditionally grants scholarships to Armenian students. In 2007-2008, 260 students were invited to study in Russia.
Russian television and radio programmes are broadcasted on a large scale in Armenia; newspapers and other publications are also popular. No more than 8,000 Russians live in Armenia (there are about 2 million Armenians in Russia).
