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Zubkov visits Yerevan to continue political dialogue

First Vice-Prime Minister comes to Yerevan to continue with a political dialogue with Armenia

YEREVAN, February 6 (Itar-Tass) — Russian First Vice-Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov begun his visit to Yerevan for talks on continuing a political dialogue with Armenia and intensifying trade and economic cooperation between the two countries, the vice-prime minister’s office told Itar-Tass on Monday.

The visit will be held at the invitation of Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisyan. Upon arrival Zubkov will meet with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan. On February 7 the vice-prime minister will have a meeting with the Armenian prime minister.

“Viktor Zubkov’s visit will continue a regular intensive political dialogue between Moscow and Yerevan at the high level,” the vice-prime minister’s office said. “On January 23 Presidents of Russia and Armenia, Dmitry Medvedev and Serzh Sargsyan, met in Sochi,” the office added.

The years 2010 and 2011 were marked by the first state visits: the Russian president visited Armenia on August 19-20, 2010 and the Armenian president visited Russia on October 23-25, 2011. The prime ministers of both countries are in regular contact.

“The upcoming talks will focus on further intensification of the Russian-Armenian trade and investment cooperation,” the vice-prime minister’s office said.

Within Zubkov’s visit to Armenia the co-chairmen of the inter-governmental commission for economic cooperation, Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin and Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Liloyan, will confer to discuss a wide range of issues.

“Viktor Zubkov’s visit opens Russian-Armenian talks. This week secretary of the Security Council Nikolai Patrushev and Rosatom State Corporation director-general Sergei Kiriyenko will visit Yerevan,” the office reported.

The parties are expected to sign a concept programme for long-term economic cooperation between Russia and Armenia till the year 2020.

Russia is Armenia’s leading foreign economic partner. In January-November 2011 trade turnover increased by 13.3 percent and reached 876.7 million U.S. dollars.

Russia’s investments in the Armenian economy exceeded 2.8 billion U.S. dollars, which amounted to 60 percent of all foreign investments in the country’s economy. Russia mainly invested in energy, banking sector, telecommunications, mining and smelting and construction.

Such Russian corporations as Gazprom, Inter RAO EES, Russian Railways, VTB Bank, Russian Aluminium (RUSAL), Vympelkom, AFK Sistema work successfully on the Armenian market.

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