Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in Yerevan on Wednesday for talks with the leadership of Armenia, ITAR-TASS reported.
Upon his arrival the Russian minister began talks with Armenian Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandyan on bilateral cooperation. On Thursday, Lavrov will meet with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.
According to the Armenian Foreign Ministry, the talks will focus on the dynamic development of ally relations between Russia and Armenia, the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, as well as political, military, trade, economic, humanitarian cooperation and relations between Russian and Armenian regions.
A source in the Russian delegation said during the visit, Russian and Armenian officials would exchange views on bilateral cooperation and the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement in the context of Russia's mediation efforts.
Commenting on the development of relations between the two countries, Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said: "The parties maintain a permanent political dialogue at the high level and confirm their drive for further strengthening of Russian-Armenian partnership."
The presidents of the two countries met several times in 2009, Nesterenko said. In his words, Russia and Armenia do their best to improve the legal base of relationship.
Despite the global crisis, Russian-Armenian trade, economic, military, political, humanitarian and inter-regional interaction prove goods tendencies, the Russian spokesman said.
"Trade and economic cooperation between Russia and Armenia facilitates the stabilisation of the social and economic situation in the republic. In particular, in June 2009 Armenia was provided Russia's long-term credit at the sum of 500 million U.S. dollars," the diplomat said. "Both parties are implementing joint long-scale investment projects in the energy sector and transport," he said.
According to Nesterenko, Moscow praises constructive interaction with Yerevan in the foreign political sphere, within integration formats on the CIS space and hopes to continue this work.