President Sarkissian received the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergei Lavrov: Allied relations and strategic partnership in all areas

President Armen Sarkissian received today the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergei Lavrov and his delegation. Mr. Lavrov is in Armenia on official visit.

Welcoming the guest as a high-level official of the allied country and also as an old friend, President Sarkissian noted that the relations between Armenia and Russia were developing dynamically. The President underscored that Sergei Lavrov, in his position of the Foreign Minister, has also had a significant contribution to the strengthening of the Armenian-Russian friendship. President Sarkissian recalled his first meeting with Lavrov nearly 25 years ago, in New York when S. Lavrov was the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations, and thanked him for the assistance extended to the Armenian diplomats at the UN.

The President of Armenia conveyed through the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia his warm greetings to President Putin and the readiness to see him in Armenia again.

S. Lavrov expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and in his turn conveyed to President Sarkissian the best wishes from President Vladimir Putin. “This proves our determination to deep our allied relations and strategic partnership in all areas,” Minister Lavrov said.

Speaking about the prospects of cooperation, President Sarkissian presented a number of events to be held in Armenia next year in the framework of Presidential initiatives, including the Armenian Summit of Minds, STARMUS 6th international festival and in this contexts stressed the importance of collaboration.

The President of Armenia referred in particular to the ATOM Presidential initiative which is aimed at the development of modern technologies and science in Armenia. The project, along with other components, aims at bringing major technological companies to Armenia, turning our country into a leading center of artificial intelligence and mathematical modeling. “We anticipate active collaboration in the framework of this project also with Russian companies and educational establishments,” the President of Armenia said.

The RF Minister of Foreign Affairs hailed all initiatives aimed at the widening of bilateral contact and strengthening of the relations.