Russian FM and Armenian president to discuss cooperation.

YEREVAN, January 14 (Itar-Tass) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei
Lavrov will on Thursday meet Armenian President Serge Sargsyan to discuss
bilateral cooperation and regional problems. Lavrov arrived in the
Armenian capital late on Wednesday for talks with Armenian leadership.
The Russian foreign minister will also meet his Armenian opposite
number Edward Nalbandyan. They will continue a discussion of the agenda of
Russian-Armenian cooperation that began at a private dinner late on
Wednesday.
The Armenian Foreign Ministry reports that the negotiations would
dwell on allied relations between Russia and Armenia, the Nagorno-Karabakh
settlement, a wide range of issues linked to cooperation in the political,
military, trade and economic and humanitarian spheres as well as ties
between Russian and Armenian regions.
The Russian delegation emphasized that during the two-day working
visit the sides would discuss the situation in Southern Caucasus and would
exchange views on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement in the context of Russia'
s intermediary efforts.
The Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Andrei Nesterenko, said on
Monday that the Russian-Armenian relations were steady and
multi-dimensional.
"A high-level political dialogue is maintained on a regular basis.
This is confirmed by mutual determination to further deepen the
Russian-Armenian partnership ties," Nesterenko emphasized. He added that
the Russian and Armenian presidents had met many times last year, and that
the legal foundation for these relations was being improved.
Nesterenko said that despite the global crisis, the Russian-Armenian
trade, economic, politico-military, humanitarian and inter-regional
relations were demonstrating a positive trend.
"Trade and economic cooperation between Armenia and Russia, which
firmly holds the position of Yerevan's leading foreign economic partner,
contributes to stabilization of the socio-economic situation in the
republic," Nesterenko went on to say.
"For example, in June 2009 Russia granted a long-term government
credit worth $500 million to Armenia. Large-scale joint investment
projects are being steadily implemented in the energy sphere and
transport," Nesterenko said.
Nesterenko said that Russia was positively assessing its interaction
with Yerevan in foreign policy in the context of integration processes in
the CIS space and hoped that work in that direction would continue.

. Russian ambassador presents credentials to Dutch queen.

THE HAGUE, January 14 (Itar-Tass) - The Russian Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Roman
Kolodkin, on Wednesday presented credentials to Queen Beatrix of the
Netherlands.
The ceremony took place in the queen's working palace of Noordeinde in
The Hague, which is used as the venue for official events, receptions,
audiences and dinners.
The Russian ambassador handed in his credentials and a letter of
recall of his predecessor.
Queen Beatrix wished success to Roman Kolodkin in fulfilling his
diplomatic mission in the Netherlands.
Roman Kolodkin has concurrent accreditation as Russia's permanent
representative at the Hague-based Organization for banning chemical
weapons. Before his new appointment Kolodkin had headed the legal
department of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
On Wednesday evening Roman Kolodkin gave a reception at the Russian
embassy for the Dutch political and business elite. It has become a
tradition with Russian diplomats to give receptions on January 13 when
Russia celebrates the Old New Year according to the Julian calendar. This
time the guests were treated with exquisite and delicious Russian dishes:
galantine, caviar, sturgeon, pickled mushrooms, sour cabbage, patties and
hand-made 'pelmeni' or Russian meat pockets.
However, a concert by Russian musicians was the highlight. The
Rakhmaninov trio from Moscow is world famous. They play only classical
music. The trio consists of Viktor Yampolsky (piano), Mikhail Tsinman
(fiddle) and Natalya Savinova (violoncello).

.Russia presents condolences to Haitians over earthquake.

THE UNITED NATIONS, January 14 (Itar-Tass) - Russia presents its
profound condolences to the families of those who was killed or wounded
during the recent earthquake in Haiti.
In his speech at the emergency meeting of the United Nations General
Assembly held on Wednesday, Igor Shcherbak, the first deputy of Russia's
ambassador to the United Nations, said that Russia continued playing an
active role in rendering relief aid to Haiti.
Russia is sending a big cargo plane with two helicopters onboard to
Haiti.
"These helicopters will be used for assessing the scale of the
disaster, for search operations and evacuation," Shcherbak went on to say.
The Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations is also sending a plane
to Haiti.
An IL-76 will carry an airmobile hospital and 45 people, including 20
doctors, to the quake-stricken nation.


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