Russian Foreign Min to discuss South Caucasus events in Armenia.

YEREVAN, January 13 (Itar-Tass) - Pressing issues of bilateral
cooperation and the situation in South Caucasus are destined to become the
highlights of a visit to Armenia that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei
Lavrov begins later Wednesday.
The sides should also exchange opinions on peace settlement in and
around the Armenian-populated Azerbaijani enclave of Nagorny Karabakh in
the light of mediating efforts taken by Russia, officials at the Armenian
Foreign Ministry told Itar-Tass.
In the course of the visit, Lavrov will have talks with President
Serzh Sargsyan and Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandian.
Russian-Armenian bilateral relations are developing in a dynamic
manner, Andrei Nesterenko, the Russian Foreign Ministry's official
spokesman said Wednesday.
"The two sides maintain a top-level political dialogue and this
confirms the mutual intentions to continue deepening the Russian-Armenian
partnership relations," he said.
Nesterenko recalled that the Russian and Armenian Presidents met on a
number of occasions last year.
At this stage, bilateral relations rely on a solid foundation of
agreements and treaties, he said.
In spite of the global crises, Russian-Armenian cooperation in trade,
defense, politics, and the humanitarian sphere demonstrates favorable
tendencies by and large, Nesterenko said.

.Mountain climbers from Kamchatka install flags on Bolivar Peak.

PETROPAVLOVSK-KAMCHATSKY, January 13 (Itar-Tass) - Mountain climbers
from Russia's Kamchatka territory have installed the flags of their home
territory and of the United Russia Party on Bolivar Peak, the highest and
the hardest-to-climb mountain in Venezuela, officials at the press service
of the territorial government said Wednesday.
A group of five, including the deputy chairman of the Kamchatka
territory cabinet, Valery Karpenko, the president of the association of
manufacturers and entrepreneurs, Rashid Shamoyan, and the chief of the
Kamchatka rescue operations department, Vitaly Malkov climbed to the
5,007-meters tall peak January 12.
The same crew also plans getting to the summit of Cotapaxi Peak /5,970
meters/ in Ecuador and Agoncagua extinct volcano /6,962 meters/in
Argentina. The latter is the tallest peak in the Americas and the world's
second tallest peak after the Everest.

.Russian Patriarch to visit Armenia, Azerbaijan in spring.

MOSCOW, January 13 (Itar-Tass) - Patriarch of Moscow and all Russian
Kirill /Cyril/ is expected to make visits to Armenia and Azerbaijan this
spring, hieromonk Philip, a deputy chief of Moscow Patriarchate's
department for external relations said Tuesday.
"In mid-March, Patriarch Kirill is due to make a trip to Yerevan," he
said. "This will be His Holiness's first visit to the Armenian Apostolic
Church, with which the Russian Church maintains traditionally good
relations."
While visiting the Holy Echmiadzin where the headquarters of the
Armenian Church is located, the Patriarch will have a meeting with Garegin
II, the Catholicos of all the Armenians.
Also, His Holiness's itinerary will include meetings with top
executive officials of the Armenian state.
According to friar Philip, the Russian Orthodox Church has three
churches in the Armenian capital Yerevan. A church reporting to Moscow
Patriarchate opened in the city of Gumri recently and a Russian Orthodox
parish has been registered in Nagorny Karabakh, the Armenian-populated
enclave region of Azerbaijan.
The first meeting between Kirill, who was elected to the office of the
Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia in January 2009, and Garegin II will
take place in Moscow January 21, as the Armenian Catholicos is expected to
arrive here to receive a prize that has been awarded to him by the
International Foundation for the Unity of Orthodox Christian Nations
/IFUOCN/.
A visit to Azerbaijan, the second one for His Holiness Kirill over a
period of several months, has been scheduled for April 26 and April 27.
The Azerbaijani capital Baku will then host a summit of the world's
religious leaders that is to be convened at the initiative of the
spiritual leader of of South Caucasus Moslems, Sheik Allahshukur Pashazade.
.Moldova, EU begin talks on drafting new cooperation agreement.

CHISINAU, January 13 (Itar-Tass) - Moldova and the European Union have
begun talks on drafting a new treaty on cooperation.
Their first round was held here Tuesday. The Moldovan delegation was
chaired by Natalia Gherman, a deputy minister of foreign affairs and
European integration, and Gunnar Wiegand, the director of the European
Commission's department for East Europe, South Caucasus and Central Asia.
The sides agreed to set up four workgroups for monitoring various
areas. The drafting of an agreement on the lifting of travel visas for
Moldovan citizens during trips to the European Union became a separate
aspect of the talks between Gherman and Wiegand.
The next regular meeting will be held in Brussels in March.
In February, the European Commission is due to send its experts to
Chisinau to analyze the situation around the travel visas and to decide on
the degree of its liberalization, Wiegand said.
After that, the European Parliament will take a decision on the
allocation of financial aid to Moldova, the size and date of issuance of
which will depend on the republic's cooperation with the International
Monetary Fund.
According to Wiegand, upon the completion of the talks Moldova may
become the European Union's associated member, the same way that Ukraine
and three Caucasian countries plan becoming. They, too, are about to begin
similar talks with the EU.
The knottiest problem that may slow down the negotiations is the
creation of a free trade zone, as this move requires synchronization of
laws and standards.
Foreign Minister Irurie Leanca said on his part the country's
government has pledged commitment to responsibility and will go to the end.
-0-kle