Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, looks on, with visiting
Armenian Premier and president-elect Serge Sarkisian, left,
in the Moscow Kremlin, Monday, March 24, 2008.
Putin Hopes For Further Cooperation With Armenia
MOSCOW. March 24 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said
he hopes for further cooperation between Russia and Armenia after the
change of leadership in both countries.
Receiving Armenia's President-Elect Serzh Sargsyan in the Kremlin
on Monday, Putin congratulated him on his victory in the elections and
voiced hope for further development of relations.
"First, let me congratulate you on the election. I know that
political processes in Armenia are not simple but we hope that no matter
how these processes develop, all that has been achieved in bilateral
relations over the previous years will be preserved and multiplied,"
Putin said.
Sargsyan, for his part, thanked Putin for inviting him. Putin
relayed the invitation through Armenia's current President Robert
Kocharyan during his visit to Moscow on February 22.
"We have always felt your support, in campaigning too, for which I
am really grateful. Our president and our ambassador passed on to me
your letters and, honestly, never before have we felt such an
unambiguous approach," Sargsyan said.
"Let me too congratulate you on the success of the presidential
campaign [in Russia]. We know Dmitry Medvedev as your associate and hope
that our relations will continue after he takes office. We need this and
will work in this direction," Sargsyan said.