In the frames of the 9th Nevsky International Ecological Congress, on the margins of the working visit to Saint Petersburg,  Acting Minister of Environment Romanos Petrosyan had a bilateral working meeting with the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation Alexander Kozlov.
 In attendance were Adviser to the Consulate General  of the Republic of Armenia in St. Petersburg V. Sargsyan, Assistant to the Acting Minister A. Papyan, Head of Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring  I. Shumakov, Head of the  Federal Agency  for  Forestry  (Rosleskhoz)  I. Sovetnikov, Head of Department for International Cooperation and Climate Change of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment  of the Russian Federation I. Kushch and Nuritdin Inamov, Assistant to the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment  of the Russian Federation.
Welcoming the Russian counterparts, Acting Minister Romanos Petrosyan expressed hope that this meeting will be a new impetus for bilateral cooperation, will help solve specific environmental problems, promote reasonable  use of natural resources, and have a positive impact on the solution of environmental problems in the region.
The policy of environmental management in the Republic of Armenia is focused on the comprehensive protection, improvement, restoration and rational use of the environment and natural resources, by maintaining the principle of balancing social justice and economic efficiency.
The parties highly valued the cooperation between the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Armenia and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Russian Federation and  in that context, discussed issues concerning the new bilateral project.
The Acting Minister extended a vote of thanks for the joint project of the Ministry of Environment "Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center" SNCO addressed to developing the technical and institutional capabilities; 40% of weather stations have been modernized with the support of the Russian side. The Government of Armenia hopes to continue the effective cooperation, expecting support from the Russian Federation in the implementation of the project second phase.
It was made a reference to forest management sphere. The Acting Minister presented to his Russian partners  “10 million trees initiative” and the ambitious plans to expand  forested areas of Armenia. A relevant letter was sent to Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment  of the Russian Federation, anticipating assistance in providing seedlings.
The Ministry of Environment is working on a draft memorandum to be signed with the Russian side. Taking the opportunity, in the context of intensifying the cooperation between the two sides and the jointly implemented programs, the Acting Minister invited his Russian counterpart to Armenia, during which a mutual memorandum will be signed.
Romanos Petrosyan informed that under one of the cooperation points stipulated by the memorandum, within the framework of the programs of  phasing out wastes hard to recycle  and the ban of single-use plastics has embarked on  in Armenia.
Romanos Petrosyan and Alexander Kozlov considered issues regarding the further development of Armenian-Russian cooperation in the sphere of environmental protection. The parties agreed that there is a great untapped potential and practical steps should be assumed to realize thereof.
At the end of the meeting, Acting Minister Romanos Petrosyan presented a silver commemorative coin of the "Caucasian Leopard" and a  sample of the Red Book of the Republic of Armenia to the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment  of the Russian Federation.