On November 21, Edward Nalbandian, Foreign Minister of Armenia, met with Sergey Lavrov, Foreign Minister of Russia, who arrived in Yerevan on an official visit.

The tête-à-tête meeting was followed by talks in an expanded format, with participation of delegations.

Welcoming the guest, Minister Nalbandian mentioned that the visit is symbolic, since it happens in the year marking the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Russia and the 20th anniversary of signing the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance.

Thanking for the invitation to visit Yerevan and the traditional warm reception, Foreign Minister Lavrov noted that during the quarter of a century history since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the Armenian-Russian relationship has dynamically developed.

At the meeting, a detailed discussion was held on bilateral agenda issues, views were exchanged on the implementation of agreements reached during the meetings of the Presidents of the two countries in the course of this year.

The Foreign Ministers commended that the two countries actively cooperate in inter-governmental and inter-parliamentary formats and emphasized the importance of regular mutual visits of the heads of the governments and parliaments of the two countries.

The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Russia touched in a detailed manner upon the issues related to foreign policy coordination, cooperation within the UN, OSCE, CSTO, EAEU, CIS, CoE, BSEC and other multilateral international platforms. It was emphasized that the views of the two countries coincide on many issues.

The interlocutors expressed satisfaction with intensification of bilateral economic cooperation and growth of trade turnover.

Ministers underlined that the launch of the Days of Armenian Culture in Russia announced by the Presidents of the two countries in Tretyakov Gallery two days ago attest to the existing high level of cooperation in the cultural sphere.

The process of peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was high on the agenda of the meeting. The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Russia touched upon the meetings held between the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan and the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs in Moscow.

Edward Nalbandian and Sergey Lavrov exchanged views on a number of urgent regional and international issues. They also discussed the situation in the Middle East and the efforts to resolve the Syrian crisis.

After the meeting, the Ministers signed the Programme of political consultations between the Foreign Ministries of Armenia and Russia for 2017-2018.

Afterwards, Edward Nalbandian and Sergey Lavrov held a joint press conference.

On the same day, in presence of Serzh Sargsyan, President of the Republic of Armenia, the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Russia opened the exhibition in the National Gallery of Armenia entitled "Armenia-Russia: Friendship Forged Over Centuries”.