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Interfax news agency, Russia
Nov 26 2012
Armenian Premier speaks on foreign policy, ties with Russia
[Translated from Russian]
Armenian Prime Minster Tigran Sargsyan has told the Russian Interfax
news agency that apart from common interests, Armenia and Russia also
share common values, the agency reported on 26 November.
"It is evident that relations between Armenia and Russia are not based
on interests alone," Interfax quoted Sargsyan as saying.
Touching on economic ties between both countries, the Armenian prime
minister said that Armenia "faces absolutely no problems regarding the
[Russian] debt". Sargsyan also said that talks with Russia over the
tariff of natural gas Armenia imports, were expected to come to an end
by the end of the year. "We have come to terms on the main points,
however some technical points need to be clarified," Interfax quoted
the Armenian prime minister as saying. He also added that the
contracting parties needed to find a common ground on the methodology
of pricing gas. "There have been no questions that we cannot agree
on," Tigran Sargsyan said.
He also touched on the issue of the possible Armenian-Russian
cooperation in building a new nuclear power plant in Armenia, saying
that there was a plan to set up a joint enterprise with equal shares
from Armenia and Russia with the possibility of Armenia's handing over
some percentage of its share to private investors.
Commenting on the Nagornyy Karabakh dispute with Azerbaijan, Sargsyan
said that the peace process suffered a major setback after Azerbaijani
officer Ramil Safarov, who had killed an Armenian officer in Budapest,
was pardoned and glorified by Azerbaijani authorities after his
handover by Hungary. "These moves were shocking not so much to us, but
rather to the co-chairs of the [OSCE] Minsk Group and the
international community," he added.
Sargsyan also commented on prospects for reopening the airport in
Nagornyy Karabakh, describing this as a prerequisite for normal life
in Nagornyy Karabakh. "If we are champions of a peaceful solution [in
Nagornyy Karabakh], we should create normal living conditions in
Nagornyy Karabakh and not resort to aggression, including blockade,"
Interfax quoted him as saying.
Sargsyan also touched on the sanctions imposed on Armenia's
neighbouring Iran and their impact on the Armenian economy. "The
international sanctions practically nullify our opportunities to
cooperate with that country, including transit of cargoes, which
constitutes a serious problem for Armenia," he said, adding that the
issue was discussed with the EU, IMF and World Bank.
Tigran Sargsyan commented on the likelihood of military actions
against Iran. "This could trigger a whole chain of negative
developments which will be extremely difficult to reverse later and
which could entail catastrophic events," Tigran Sargsyan was quoted as
saying.
From: Baghdasarian
Nov 26 2012
Armenian Premier speaks on foreign policy, ties with Russia
[Translated from Russian]
Armenian Prime Minster Tigran Sargsyan has told the Russian Interfax
news agency that apart from common interests, Armenia and Russia also
share common values, the agency reported on 26 November.
"It is evident that relations between Armenia and Russia are not based
on interests alone," Interfax quoted Sargsyan as saying.
Touching on economic ties between both countries, the Armenian prime
minister said that Armenia "faces absolutely no problems regarding the
[Russian] debt". Sargsyan also said that talks with Russia over the
tariff of natural gas Armenia imports, were expected to come to an end
by the end of the year. "We have come to terms on the main points,
however some technical points need to be clarified," Interfax quoted
the Armenian prime minister as saying. He also added that the
contracting parties needed to find a common ground on the methodology
of pricing gas. "There have been no questions that we cannot agree
on," Tigran Sargsyan said.
He also touched on the issue of the possible Armenian-Russian
cooperation in building a new nuclear power plant in Armenia, saying
that there was a plan to set up a joint enterprise with equal shares
from Armenia and Russia with the possibility of Armenia's handing over
some percentage of its share to private investors.
Commenting on the Nagornyy Karabakh dispute with Azerbaijan, Sargsyan
said that the peace process suffered a major setback after Azerbaijani
officer Ramil Safarov, who had killed an Armenian officer in Budapest,
was pardoned and glorified by Azerbaijani authorities after his
handover by Hungary. "These moves were shocking not so much to us, but
rather to the co-chairs of the [OSCE] Minsk Group and the
international community," he added.
Sargsyan also commented on prospects for reopening the airport in
Nagornyy Karabakh, describing this as a prerequisite for normal life
in Nagornyy Karabakh. "If we are champions of a peaceful solution [in
Nagornyy Karabakh], we should create normal living conditions in
Nagornyy Karabakh and not resort to aggression, including blockade,"
Interfax quoted him as saying.
Sargsyan also touched on the sanctions imposed on Armenia's
neighbouring Iran and their impact on the Armenian economy. "The
international sanctions practically nullify our opportunities to
cooperate with that country, including transit of cargoes, which
constitutes a serious problem for Armenia," he said, adding that the
issue was discussed with the EU, IMF and World Bank.
Tigran Sargsyan commented on the likelihood of military actions
against Iran. "This could trigger a whole chain of negative
developments which will be extremely difficult to reverse later and
which could entail catastrophic events," Tigran Sargsyan was quoted as
saying.
From: Baghdasarian