OREANDA-NEWS. June 02, 2010. PRESIDENT OF RUSSIA DMITRY MEDVEDEV: Mr President, as close partners and strategic allies (this is the most accurate description of our relations) we need to meet often, and we do just this. You came to Russia recently to celebrate the 65th anniversary of what was then our common country’s victory over the Nazi invaders, and I want to thank you sincerely for being with us on that day. It made me very happy. Of course, it also shows the closeness between our countries and their desire to continue developing this strategic relationship.

Now we are holding this working meeting to exchange views on the current situation, all the more so as the situation calls for it. There are the economic matters that we always discuss during our visits to each other, and then there are the regional issues, and here, I have some things to discuss with you. I have made several important trips recently and will not hide that normalising Turkish-Armenian relations and a number of other issues were among the matters discussed during these visits. I have also been in contact with some of our European colleagues, and so I have things to share with you now.

I am very happy to see you and very pleased at this chance to meet once more.

PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA SERZH SARGSYAN: Thank you, Mr President.

Working meetings are very important, and I think they provide us with an excellent format. Thank you once again for the invitation and for the chance to visit this beautiful city.

Some of the brightest names among the Armenian intelligentsia are connected to Rostov-on-Don and the surrounding region, which is home to a large Armenian community. I will be meeting today with members of the Armenian community in southern Russia. Of course we will discuss our national [Armenian] matters, but at the same time, I will also once again remind everyone that a good member of the Armenian community in Russia is also a good and needed citizen of this country.

I want to take this opportunity to thank you once more for the warm reception and excellent organisation at the 65th anniversary of Victory celebrations. It was an event that made me feel proud.

DMITRY MEDVEDEV: Thank you.

SERZH SARGSYAN: The impressive parade was a wonderful reminder of our common history and our common brotherhood in arms. I talked about this yesterday with Boris Gryzlov [Speaker of the State Duma] and the other parliamentary leaders and representatives who held an on-location meeting in Yerevan. We had a good discussion. Thank you.

DMITRY MEDVEDEV: Excellent. Thank you.