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Armenian PM expects relations with Russia to improve

Nikol Pashinyan said that bilateral relations had huge potential "both economics-and politics-wise"

Nikol Pashinyan Artiom Geodakyan/TASS

Nikol Pashinyan

© Artiom Geodakyan/TASS

MOSCOW, May 12. /TASS/. Relations between Yerevan and Moscow will change for the better, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan told the Rossiya 24 TV channel.

"Relations between Yerevan and Moscow will change, but for the better, I am fairly sure of that," he said. "I understand that Moscow has its concerns but I believe that after we hold meetings and conversations, there will be no more concerns. I am sure that Armenian-Russian relations will improve," Pashinyan added.

The Armenian prime minister also said that bilateral relations had huge potential "both economics-and politics-wise." "I think that relations will evolve in a positive way," he said.

Pashinyan pointed out that "Armenia’s foreign policy strategy will not change in the wake of the recent changes" since, in his words, mass protests resulting in the resignation of Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan on April 17 had nothing to do with the country’s foreign policy. "The process stemmed from internal issues," he said.

On April 13, mass protests against the election of former President Serzh Sargsyan as prime minister began in Armenia, which were led by opposition leader Pashinyan. As a result, Sargsyan resigned on April 23 and the country’s parliament elected Pashinyan to be prime minister on May 8.

On May 14, a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is expected to take place on the sidelines of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council’s session in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi.

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