Foreign visits
Working visit of President Serzh Sargsyan to Russian Federation
“Esteemed President Sargsyan, I am very glad to see you. There is no need to describe our bilateral interstate relations: they are really of a strategic nature. I am very pleased to state that fact and note that our relations develop and develop successfully. There are certainly some problems of the objective nature, and I mean first of all our economic cooperation, though here too we understand that over all we can be content with the foundation we laid for our relations. I have no doubt that based on our mutual decisions of previous years we will advance on that direction too. This year you are chairing at the CSTO, and I do hope that we will be able to converse with you, as the Chairman of that international organization since that very organization is responsible for security issues, fight against terrorism and organized crime, and we need to make sure that the situation on our borders is quiet. And of course, a representative of Armenia, not in the national but in the international official capacity, nevertheless your colleague is currently presiding over at our primary integration economy union – the EEU. Thus, we have numerous things to talk about, and I am glad to see you. Welcome,” said President of the RF Vladimir Putin at the meeting with President Serzh Sargsyan.
“Thank you, Mr. President. I am very glad to meet with you and agree with you hundred percent that our relations develop very well. In general, this is a good tradition – to meet at the beginning of the year, to recap on the results of the last year’s work and set guidelines for the current year. In political, economic, military and technical, as well as humanitarian areas we have complete understanding and relations develop very well. I would like to thank you for the implementation of all those agreements which we have reached during our previous meetings. As the country presiding over at the CSTO, we pay the utmost attention to the implementation of the decisions which were adopted the September and December sessions of the CSTO. We are certainly concerned with the tense situation in the areas adjacent to the CSTO realm of responsibility. In my statement at the December session as well as in my other statements I have stated clearly that we firmly support the Russian position regarding Syria and of course welcome agreements you have reached with the United States on the cessation of the military activities. It could become the key for the political settlement of the problem. Today, Mr. President, Candidates Chess Tournament kicks off, and since the Chess Federation of Armenia is a sponsor of that event, we have dedicated the opening ceremony to the 25th anniversary of Armenia’s independence. Also, a large exhibition on civilization is opening today at the Russian Museum of History, and I am confident that the citizens of Russia will like the exhibition and it will make its contribution to the strengthening of friendship between our peoples.
Mr. President, I would like to thank you personally for the efforts which Russia exercises for the resolution of the NK conflict. We continue to adhere to a peaceful settlement of the conflict,” President Serzh Sargsyan said at the meeting with the President of the Russian Federation.
Later, the President of Armenia, Chairman of Armenia’s Chess Federation Serzh Sargsyan in Moscow will attend the official ceremony of opening the Candidates Chess Tournament.
Along with other 8 acclaimed contenders, the leader of the Armenian chess game Levon Aronian will also participate at the tournament, which will take place in the capital of the Russian Federation on March 10-29. The winner of the tournament, which consists of two rounds, will take part at the Championship which will take place on November 11-30 in New York.
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Оn March 11, President Serzh Sargsyan at the State Museum of History attended the opening of the exhibition named Armenia: The Legend of Being which is organized in the framework of the cooperation program carried out by the Ministries of Culture of Armenia and Russia. The exhibition presents over 160 exponents from the Museum of History of Armenia, from the museums of the Holy See of Echmiadzin and the Mesrop Mashtots Matendaran – the institute and museum of ancient manuscripts. The organizers published also the photo album of the exhibition which presents the history and culture of the Armenian nation from ancient time to our days. The topic of the Armenian Genocide in presented in a separate section. After touring the exhibition, President Serzh Sargsyan made an inscription in the Guest Book. “As President of Armenia, I am greatly honored to be today at the one of the oldest buildings in Russia – State Museum of History. It is presenting Armenia: The Legend of Being exhibition dedicated to the millennia long history of the Armenian nation which contains numerous glorious pages dedicated to the intertwining history and culture of our two brotherly peoples. I am confident that the series of unique documents and exhibits deposited here will continue to be augmented by new precious testimonies of the Armenian-Russian perpetual brotherhood.”
Later, at the Embassy of Armenia there took place the award ceremony with the participation of the President of Armenia. President Serzh Sargsyan awarded the Chairman of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation Valeri Zorkin with the Order of Friendship for his significant contribution to and development of the Armenian-Russian friendly relations as well as for the lasting and efficient cooperation in the area of constitutional justice. The President of Armenia bestowed the same high award on the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation Yuri Chayka and Chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation Alexander Bastyrkin for deepening cooperation between the law enforcement bodies of the Republic of Armenia and Russian Federation, for the significant input to the strengthening and development of the Armenian-Russian friendly ties.
On March 11, the President of Armenia, Chairman of the Chess Federation of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan in the Russian capital participated at the official opening ceremony of the Candidates Chess Tournament. The President greeted a number of the greatest grand masters of the world and many fans who are watching their game, wished the Tournament every success and made the first move in the game with the participation of the international grand master Levon Aronian. The Presidents of Armenia and FIDE unexpectedly played a quick chess game which ended with the victory of the Armenian President.