Thursday, May 12 2022 17:56

ArmInfo.RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Alexei Overchuk and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko. Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia Mher Grigoryan also took part in the  meeting.

As the press service of the RA PM reports, Prime Minister Nikol  Pashinyan welcomed the guests, noting, "I am glad to see you, I would  like to mention once again that we appreciate the already done work  within the framework of the trilateral working group on opening  regional communications, automobile and railway communications. You  know how important this topic is for us, because when we come up with  concrete solutions, it will change the situation in the region not  only economically, but also politically, psychologically and in terms  of security. You know how interested we are in having a concrete and  positive outcome over that issue. We continue to work intensively.  During my official visit to Moscow, this was one of the key topics  discussed with Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. And I  am very glad that in this regard we managed to record our common  approaches, our common positions.

As for further work over this issue, this issue also has a technical  side, which, I think, is not so difficult. But in order for us to  have concrete and effective solutions, we need to solve all the legal  issues, the procedural issues, which will not only help us to reach  concrete solutions quickly, but also those solutions will become more  substantiated, stronger, so to speak. And the mechanism will work  effectively in the long run. I am sure we are all ready for that  work. I would like to thank you once again for the work done. I hope,  I am sure, that this work will be effective in the future too, we  just need to come up with concrete solutions as soon as possible."

In his turn, Alexei Overchuk thanked the Prime Minister for the warm  reception, noting, "Indeed, quite recently we met with you in Moscow,  where you were on an official visit, visiting Moscow and Nizhny  Novgorod. There were a series of meetings with Vladimir Putin,  Mikhail Vladimirovich, Valentina Matviyenko. As a result of the  meetings, our relevant ministries received tasks and we are working  on them.  And I would like to mention one very important point that  you drew attention to during your visit, which is that all  coronavirus restrictions should be completely removed. Now the  operative headquarters has made such a decision: from May 16 all  restrictions will be removed, it will be possible to travel by roads,  by planes.  In other words, all these obstacles, which really  postponed the contacts between our countries, are being removed  today. In addition, we also made decisions with you on a number of  trade issues that are very important in the context of today's topic.  We are ready to continue the cooperation in the same spirit and to  develop it in the future.

Today, of course, we would like to talk about the work of the  trilateral working group. We fully share your assessments on the  establishment of transport communications between Armenia and  Azerbaijan. Indeed, when that happens, it will completely change the  entire transport configuration of the region. And really new  opportunities will open up for the Armenian economy to develop, to  receive additional stimulus, and due to that the role of Armenia will  significantly increase. In relation to this, we, of course, make  every effort with Mher Grigoryan and Shahin Mustafayev to resolve  these issues. And as you rightly pointed out, of course, solutions to  legal-procedural issues are very important."

Issues related to the agenda of bilateral cooperation between Armenia  and Russia, as well as the activities of the trilateral working group  of the Deputy Prime Ministers of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan were  discussed.

The sides touched upon the prospects of restoration of transport  communications in the South Caucasus region, the further course of  the work carried out within the framework of the January 11 statement  of the Prime Minister of Armenia, the President of Russia and the  President of Azerbaijan.