Belarusian and Armenian Presidents Discuss Bilateral Relations

YEREVAN — Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian has held talks with his visiting Belarusian counterpart, Alyaksandr Lukashenka.

The two presidents told journalists after their meeting on May 13 that they discussed bilateral relations, including trade and economic issues.

The two leaders presided over the signing of several bilateral agreements. One of them relates to “cooperation and exchange of information” on nuclear safety.

“We are also interested in Armenia’s experience in atomic energy,” Lukashenko told a joint news conference with Sarkisian. “You probably know that Belarus is building its first-ever nuclear power plant. An exchange of information about safe exploitation of nuclear plants as well as new approaches to building energy blocks is of mutual interest.”

“You have serious experience in exploiting such facilities and we hope that Armenia will be able to send at least a dozen good specialists so that they assist us in the initial stages of operating the under-construction nuclear plant,” he said.

Lukashenko is scheduled to visit on Tuesday Armenia’s nuclear power plant at Metsamor, more than 30 kilometers west of Yerevan. The Soviet-era plant built in the 1970s generates around 40 percent of the country’s electricity.

Sarkisian similarly stressed the importance of the “solid package of documents” signed after their talks. “We expect that they will give the right impetus to the development of bilateral cooperation,” he said.

Sarkisian said the talks also focused on cooperation within the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), which includes several former Soviet republics.

“Exactly in one month’s time, we will mark 20 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries,” Sarkisian said. “We are approaching this date not merely on a decent level of mutual cooperation but with a deep understanding that a positive experience of inter-state relations we have accumulated over these years is our mutual treasure.”