April 28, 2003 - 19:34 AMT
RUSSIAN PRESIDENTIAL REPRESENTATIVE IN STATE DUMA AGAINST URGENT RATIFICATION OF "PROPERTY FOR DEBT" ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN AGREEMENT
Russian president's representative in the State Duma Alexander Kotenkov has come against urgent ratification of "Property for Debt" Armenian-Russian agreement, according to which a number of Armenian enterprises will be passed to the Russian party in order to repay the Armenian state debt to Russia. As written by "Parlamentskaya Gazeta," addressing the State Duma the other day he noted one should not hurry in that case and should not exceed the framework of the procedures of the regulations. State Duma vice-chairman Vladimir Lukin seconded Kotenkov's stand, stating "if the Russian president has not determined his position on the agreement yet, he should be provided with additional time." After these appearances the government head insisted on the need of urgent ratification of the agreement between Russia and Armenia.