Updates
Foreign visits
13
04, 2011
Official visit of President Serzh Sargsyan to the Republic of Slovenia
At the invitation of the President of the Republic of Slovenia Danilo Turk, President Serzh Sargsyan arrived on April 13 to Ljubljana on official visit.
After the official welcome ceremony for the President of Armenia, Presidents Sargsyan and Turk held a private meeting which was followed by the meeting in the extended format with the participation of the official delegations of the two states. The results of the negotiations were summarized at the joint press conference of the Presidents of Armenia and Slovenia.
“In the last year and half, we have managed to accomplish considerable work aimed at the expansion of the field of our cooperation: A business forum was held in Yerevan last year, a number of documents was signed, including those pertinent to economy. Today they will be augmented by the Memorandum on Cooperation in the Area of Tourism. On this visit, I am accompanied by a group of businessmen who are now negotiating with their Slovenian colleagues. I am hopeful that jointly taken steps will yield positive results in the end of this year,” President Sargsyan said at the meeting with journalists. He also spoke about current regional problems, approaches and steps taken by Armenia towards their resolution.
“Recently, I heard a statement by the President of Slovenia Danilo Turk that membership of Croatia to the European Union is very important not only for Croatia itself but also for Slovenia and the entire European realm as well. I followed the statement with great attention and a bit of envy: these two neighboring countries used to have serious tension. However, they have been able to transcend rigid mindset and solve the problems in a civilized way, through the negotiations, taking into account common regional benefits. Unfortunately, in our region the situation is somewhat different. Evidently, for some countries advancement toward Eurointegration doesn’t necessarily signify a peaceful, prosperous, free and secure development. One of our immediate neighbors has misapprehensions regarding the European way, perceiving the European realm exclusively as a convenient market for selling oil and gas. It is preposterous when our neighbor, which has adopted the European way, threatens to destroy Armenian civil aviation aircrafts, conducts belligerent propaganda on a daily basis and is making threats to solve the NK issues by war. Another neighbor of ours, Turkey, which also aspires to become part of Europe, will not open its borders with Armenia despite its international obligations. One may wonder if our neighbors are aware that free movement is a pivot of the European system of values.
Nevertheless, whatever regional developments may be, they cannot divert us from our chosen path. Armenia is determined to expand cooperation with the European Union and its member states, particularly, in the framework of the Eastern Partnership program,” President Sargsyan said.
The President of Slovenia, gave a positive assessment to the cooperation with Armenia in the framework of EU. However he also noted that today it is necessary to increase the existing modest turnover between Armenia and Slovenia, commence negotiations in the area of economy and make investments. “Our countries maintain cultural relations but cooperation should be raised on a higher level also in the area of tourism. Cooperation should also be enhanced in the areas of energy, information technologies, science and technologies. We realize how important it is to work together to solve political problems – it constitutes the base of international peace and security. Slovenia supports the efforts of the Minsk Group in the resolution of the NK conflict which is the most prolonged conflict in Europe,” said President Danilo Turk.
After the meeting with the representatives of the mass media, the Presidents of the two countries attended the document signing ceremony. In particular, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and Slovenia signed a Protocol on cooperation in the area of Eurointegration, while the Ministries of Economy signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the area of tourism.
On April 13, President of Slovenia Danilo Turk hosted an official dinner in honor of President Serzh Sargsyan who is in Slovenia on official visit.
On April 13, President Serzh Sargsyan, who is in the Republic of Slovenia on official visit, met with the Speaker of the National Assembly Pavel Gantar.
The President of Armenia stated with satisfaction that Armenia and Slovenia conduct substantial political dialogue and that the interstate relations have registered positive developments. Serzh Sargsyan noted that the range of the Armenian-Slovenian relations is gradually expanding, encompassing elements of political, economic, and cultural cooperation.
Hailing the achievements, the President of Armenia underscored that there is still lot to do for the development of the interparliamentary relations. Interparliamentary relations – indispensable part of interstate relations – according to President Sargsyan can play a significant role for furthering political dialogue between the two countries. Serzh Sargsyan stressed the importance of creating in the Parliaments of Armenia and Slovenia friendship groups and organization of regular visits.
In the context of interparliamentary cooperation, the President of Armenia particularly underscored the importance of mutually beneficial and efficient cooperation of the delegations of Armenia and Slovenia in the parliamentary forums of the international structures.
The President of Armenia met also with the Prime Minister of Slovenia Borut Pahor. The parties discussed the process of economic reformation in the two countries, steps aimed at the mitigation of the consequences of the global economic crisis and stressed the importance of experience sharing.
The first working day of President Sargsyan in Slovenia concluded with the meeting with the Mayor of Ljubljana Zoran Jankovic. After the meeting, President Sargsyan accompanied by the Mayor toured Ljubljana and observed memorable places of the capital of Slovenia.
After the official welcome ceremony for the President of Armenia, Presidents Sargsyan and Turk held a private meeting which was followed by the meeting in the extended format with the participation of the official delegations of the two states. The results of the negotiations were summarized at the joint press conference of the Presidents of Armenia and Slovenia.
“In the last year and half, we have managed to accomplish considerable work aimed at the expansion of the field of our cooperation: A business forum was held in Yerevan last year, a number of documents was signed, including those pertinent to economy. Today they will be augmented by the Memorandum on Cooperation in the Area of Tourism. On this visit, I am accompanied by a group of businessmen who are now negotiating with their Slovenian colleagues. I am hopeful that jointly taken steps will yield positive results in the end of this year,” President Sargsyan said at the meeting with journalists. He also spoke about current regional problems, approaches and steps taken by Armenia towards their resolution.
“Recently, I heard a statement by the President of Slovenia Danilo Turk that membership of Croatia to the European Union is very important not only for Croatia itself but also for Slovenia and the entire European realm as well. I followed the statement with great attention and a bit of envy: these two neighboring countries used to have serious tension. However, they have been able to transcend rigid mindset and solve the problems in a civilized way, through the negotiations, taking into account common regional benefits. Unfortunately, in our region the situation is somewhat different. Evidently, for some countries advancement toward Eurointegration doesn’t necessarily signify a peaceful, prosperous, free and secure development. One of our immediate neighbors has misapprehensions regarding the European way, perceiving the European realm exclusively as a convenient market for selling oil and gas. It is preposterous when our neighbor, which has adopted the European way, threatens to destroy Armenian civil aviation aircrafts, conducts belligerent propaganda on a daily basis and is making threats to solve the NK issues by war. Another neighbor of ours, Turkey, which also aspires to become part of Europe, will not open its borders with Armenia despite its international obligations. One may wonder if our neighbors are aware that free movement is a pivot of the European system of values.
Nevertheless, whatever regional developments may be, they cannot divert us from our chosen path. Armenia is determined to expand cooperation with the European Union and its member states, particularly, in the framework of the Eastern Partnership program,” President Sargsyan said.
The President of Slovenia, gave a positive assessment to the cooperation with Armenia in the framework of EU. However he also noted that today it is necessary to increase the existing modest turnover between Armenia and Slovenia, commence negotiations in the area of economy and make investments. “Our countries maintain cultural relations but cooperation should be raised on a higher level also in the area of tourism. Cooperation should also be enhanced in the areas of energy, information technologies, science and technologies. We realize how important it is to work together to solve political problems – it constitutes the base of international peace and security. Slovenia supports the efforts of the Minsk Group in the resolution of the NK conflict which is the most prolonged conflict in Europe,” said President Danilo Turk.
After the meeting with the representatives of the mass media, the Presidents of the two countries attended the document signing ceremony. In particular, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and Slovenia signed a Protocol on cooperation in the area of Eurointegration, while the Ministries of Economy signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the area of tourism.
On April 13, President of Slovenia Danilo Turk hosted an official dinner in honor of President Serzh Sargsyan who is in Slovenia on official visit.
On April 13, President Serzh Sargsyan, who is in the Republic of Slovenia on official visit, met with the Speaker of the National Assembly Pavel Gantar.
The President of Armenia stated with satisfaction that Armenia and Slovenia conduct substantial political dialogue and that the interstate relations have registered positive developments. Serzh Sargsyan noted that the range of the Armenian-Slovenian relations is gradually expanding, encompassing elements of political, economic, and cultural cooperation.
Hailing the achievements, the President of Armenia underscored that there is still lot to do for the development of the interparliamentary relations. Interparliamentary relations – indispensable part of interstate relations – according to President Sargsyan can play a significant role for furthering political dialogue between the two countries. Serzh Sargsyan stressed the importance of creating in the Parliaments of Armenia and Slovenia friendship groups and organization of regular visits.
In the context of interparliamentary cooperation, the President of Armenia particularly underscored the importance of mutually beneficial and efficient cooperation of the delegations of Armenia and Slovenia in the parliamentary forums of the international structures.
The President of Armenia met also with the Prime Minister of Slovenia Borut Pahor. The parties discussed the process of economic reformation in the two countries, steps aimed at the mitigation of the consequences of the global economic crisis and stressed the importance of experience sharing.
The first working day of President Sargsyan in Slovenia concluded with the meeting with the Mayor of Ljubljana Zoran Jankovic. After the meeting, President Sargsyan accompanied by the Mayor toured Ljubljana and observed memorable places of the capital of Slovenia.