Kremlin Hosts Russo-Armenian Negotiations

Russian President Vladimir Putin is currently holding negotiations with his Armenian counterpart Robert Kocharyan in the Kremlin. When opening the meeting, Putin expressed his satisfaction with the fact that "contacts had not been broken off." The Russian head of state proposed that they discuss "bilateral relations, problems of economic interaction, security issues, and also coordination of the two countries' efforts in the international arena." Robert Kocharyan expressed his opinion that several questions, especially those relating to the economy, were in need of some action. Putin said that an inter-governmental commission was conducting intensive work and should work out the debt problem and further co-operation between Russia and Armenia. According to the Russian leader, the basic parameters in these areas should be agreed by the end of the year. The talks are being held in the president's Kremlin reception office. Deputy head of the presidential administration Sergei Prikhodko is also taking part on the Russian side.