Press Conference - Dmitry medvedev's visit to Armenia

Press conference "Dmitry Medvedev's visit to Armenia" - Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, today we are going to discuss the results of Dmitry Medvedev's visit to Armenia. - Vladimir Zharikhin, deputy director of the Institute of CIS Countries - This visit was a very significant one. If I'm not mistaken, this was the first Russian presidential visit with the status of a state visit - The most important result of the visit is the agreement, according to which Russian forces will remain in Gyumri. - A revision of the terms and provisions of maintenance of the Russian military base in Gyumri is advantageous for both Russia and Armenia. - I would even say that this revision is significant for the whole region. - I believe that these agreements will help maintain peace in the Caucasus. - I underline that this will have a stabilizing effect on all countries of the region. - Moreover the agreements in the sphere of economy are very favourable for Armenia. - Armenia needs a self-sufficient power system and under existing conditions (there are no hydro-carbons in the country) the only way to create it is to develop atomic energy. - That means that these arrangements are also strategically important. - I think that Russia and Armenia as, let us be honest, the most powerful countries of the region, - are now able to implement the agreements made during the informal summit of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, - on the one hand to provide the member-states of the Organisation with all necessary help in situations similar to the tragedy that occured in the south of Kirgizia - and on the other hand to avoid any risk of intervention of the members of the Treaty into each others internal affairs. - Andrey Areshev, the deputy director of the Strategic Culture Foundation - The security problem is a very pressing one in the Caucasus. - Russian participation, such as Russian efforts to settle the matter over Karabakh and its co-operation with Armenia, - doesn't mean that Russia is now unwilling to co-operate with Azerbaijan (their relations are developing very dynamically) and it not only strengthens Russia's hand, - but is advantageous for other countries that now have an opportunity to develop peacefully in a region where a lot of conflicts exist, both evident and hidden. - It has already been mentioned, that Russia and Armenia are going to co-operate in various spheres, including atomic energy, - but I believe that this co-operation should be more than regional, that it should include other countries. - That is possible only when there is no risk of new hostilities beginning, which may lead to uncertain consequences. - Vladimir Zakharov, the director of the Institute for Black Sea and Caspian region research - In addition to all these, it's probable that the Russian language in Armenia will also become more influential. - Several months ago it was announced that the Russian school in Gyumri is going to be closed, as the Ministry of Education will no longer finance it. - However, during his visit, president Medvedev has awarded several professors of the Russian-Armenian University. - This means that the Russian Federation is ready to support Russian teaching in other countries. - It doesn't mean that we want the Russian language to become official there, but it's just one of our priorities. -