Official visit of President Vahagn Khachaturyan to the Czech Republic

The official welcoming ceremony for President of the Republic Vahagn Khachaturyan, who is in Prague on an official visit, was held at Prague Castle, the residence of the President of the Czech Republic. 

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Within the framework of his official visit to the Czech Republic, President of the Republic Vahagn Khachaturyan met with President of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel.

The meeting began with a private conversation between the two Presidents, followed by an expanded meeting with the participation of the delegations of the two countries.

Welcoming the President of the Republic, Petr Pavel thanked him for accepting the invitation and visiting Prague on an official visit. The Czech President noted that the visit was highly anticipated and of great importance for the development of relations between the two countries, emphasizing that around 12 years had passed since the last visit of this format at the presidential level. He expressed confidence that the visit would give new impetus to the further development of friendly relations and cooperation between Armenia and the Czech Republic.

President Vahagn Khachaturyan thanked for the warm welcome and the high-level organization of the visit. The President of the Republic noted that the political dialogue and interaction established between Armenia and the Czech Republic have been continuously developing, encompassing a broad range of bilateral and multilateral agenda, including in the context of the Armenia-European Union partnership.

During the meeting, the Presidents discussed the current agenda of bilateral relations and addressed opportunities for expanding existing areas of cooperation and developing interaction in new fields.

A special emphasis was made on the development of cooperation in high technologies and artificial intelligence, energy, and water management. The importance of deepening cooperation in the security and defense sectors, as well as expanding economic, educational, scientific, and cultural ties, was also emphasized.

The Presidents also discussed opportunities for exchanging experience in the fields of nuclear energy and energy security, developing professional ties, and implementing joint programs.

The interlocutors addressed a number of regional and international issues. In this context, they emphasized the importance of respecting the fundamental principles of international law, including the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, as well as ensuring peaceful coexistence and stability.

Presidents Vahagn Khachaturyan and Petr Pavel reaffirmed their commitment to democratic values, the rule of law, and the protection of human rights, emphasizing the importance of these principles both for the two countries and for broader international cooperation.

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President of the Republic Vahagn Khachaturyan and President of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel made statements to representatives of the mass media.

Statement by President Vahagn Khachaturyan:

“I am pleased to be in the Czech Republic on an official visit and to meet with my esteemed counterpart, President Petr Pavel.

First and foremost, I would like to thank You, Mr. Pavel, for the invitation, the warm welcome, and Your hospitality. This visit provides a valuable opportunity to highlight the friendly relations established between our countries and to enrich them with new substance and an ambitious agenda. For more than three decades, our interstate relations have developed on the basis of mutual respect, trust, and shared values. I would like to emphasize that one of the important pillars of the development of relations between Armenia and the Czechia is our shared commitment to democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and the fundamental principles of international law.

Today, political dialogue between Armenia and Czechia is at a high level, while mutually beneficial cooperation has significant potential for further development. During our meeting, we addressed a broad bilateral agenda, ranging from political dialogue and economic cooperation to high technologies, education, science, culture, tourism, and the strengthening of people-to-people contacts.

The European dimension was a key component of our discussions. The Czech Republic is an important partner for Armenia, and we highly appreciate its support for the development of Armenia-EU relations and for the democratic and institutional reforms in our country. Armenia is interested in further deepening its relations with the European Union and is ready to continue consistent efforts in this direction. Czechia’s experience and support are of great importance to us.
We attach particular importance to the dialogue between Armenia and the EU on visa liberalization. We expect the process to continue in an effective and constructive manner, contributing to greater mobility for Armenian citizens and strengthening ties between our two societies.

Considering the obstacles to the export of Armenian products to former traditional markets, I asked my counterpart for support in promoting Armenian products in the Czech Republic. Just yesterday, the Council of the European Union approved the liberalization of around 80% of exports of Armenian goods. We are grateful for this decision and hope that the European Parliament will also adopt and approve the relevant final decision. This would provide us with an opportunity to access the EU market under more favorable conditions over the next two years. These products will not disrupt the established rules of the European market. Rather, they will enrich it and allow EU partners and citizens of different countries to become better acquainted with Armenia and our products. We hope that you will appreciate the products we export, that they will become part of your everyday lives and households, and that this will enable us to further develop our economy and overcome the situation in which attempts are being made to restrict us.

Another important area of today’s discussions was the further expansion of economic cooperation. In this regard, the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation plays an important role. Our goal is not only to increase trade volumes but also to qualitatively expand cooperation through joint production, investment projects, and new initiatives in areas of mutual interest. We seek to expand bilateral trade and promote Czech investment in Armenia. Today, we also discussed prospects for cooperation in the fields of energy, high technologies, and infrastructure, with both sides emphasizing the importance of regular contacts between the business communities.

We also addressed the role of parliamentary diplomacy. In recent years, contacts at the parliamentary level have made an important contribution to deepening mutual understanding between the two countries. Strengthening people-to-people relations is a key priority. Armenia and the Czech Republic have a solid legal framework for cooperation in education, culture, science, youth, and sports. We wish to further intensify student and academic exchanges, joint research programs, cultural events, and youth contacts.

We attach special importance to the Armenian community in the Czech Republic. It is a natural bridge between our two peoples and plays an important role in deepening Armenian-Czech friendship. During the meeting, we also addressed regional and international security issues.

We had particularly extensive discussions on this matter, both during our private meeting and the expanded meeting, because international and regional security are among the issues that concern and preoccupy everyone in the world today.

And, as Mr. Pavel noted, following the well-known meeting in Prague on October 5, 2022, as a result of direct bilateral negotiations with Azerbaijan, we were able to sign an agreement in Washington on August 8, 2025, which was of historic significance. Few people believed that this would be possible, but it became a reality, and we have already been living in conditions of peace for two years. We were not accustomed to living under such conditions with our neighbors, but we have entered a new situation, and we cherish the hope that this peace will be lasting—and it will be lasting.

We expect that in the near future we will both establish diplomatic relations and open the borders. This also concerns Türkiye, with which we have had closed borders and no diplomatic relations for 30 years. All of this will contribute to establishing overall peace in the region and directly reducing tensions.

As a result, the opening of regional communications, the development of economic ties, and expanded opportunities for the free movement of people can transform the South Caucasus into a region of cooperation and interconnectedness.

Today’s meeting once again confirmed that our relations have a strong political foundation and significant potential for further development. I am confident that this meeting will contribute to the further deepening of friendly and partnership relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Czech Republic.

Once again, thank You, Mr. President, for the meaningful, constructive, and friendly discussion.”

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Within the framework of his official visit to the Czech Republic, President Vahagn Khachaturyan met with President of the Senate of the Czech Republic Miloš Vystrčil at the Senate. The meeting was also attended by the three Vice-Presidents of the Senate.

The meeting, held with the expanded delegations, continued over a working lunch, during which the President of the Senate welcomed the President of the Republic’s official visit to the Czech Republic and expressed his gratitude for the visit to the Senate and the opportunity to hold the meeting.

In his remarks, President Vahagn Khachaturyan expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome.

The discussion focused on directions for strengthening and developing relations between the two countries, with emphasis placed on the importance of expanding parliamentary cooperation and consolidating democratic institutions.

The interlocutors also addressed regional developments and Armenia’s relations with its neighbors. In this context, the President of the Republic emphasized that Armenia’s conceptual approach and fundamental principle of foreign policy lie in peaceful coexistence, the development of regional cooperation, the rejection of confrontation with neighboring countries and all countries of the region, and the development of good-neighborly relations.

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Within the framework of his official visit to the Czech Republic, President of the Republic Vahagn Khachaturyan met with Tomio Okamura, President of the Chamber of Deputies, and the leadership of the Chamber of Deputies.

President of the Chamber of Deputies Tomio Okamura welcomed the President of the Republic and expressed his gratitude for the official visit and the opportunity to hold the meeting. He emphasized that the official visit of the President of the Republic would provide new impetus to the further development of relations and friendly ties between Armenia and the Czech Republic.

The President of the Republic expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome and words of appreciation, emphasizing that Armenia and the Czech Republic have developed relations based on friendship and mutual respect, with parliamentary cooperation also playing an important role in their further development.

During the meeting, the further development of parliamentary diplomacy, as well as the promotion of active contacts and mutual visits between the parliaments of the two countries, were highlighted as important priorities. The need to expand cooperation within international parliamentary organizations, as well as within the framework of the European Union, was also emphasized.

The interlocutors discussed opportunities to expand the bilateral cooperation agenda between Armenia and the Czech Republic. In this context, the importance of deepening cooperation in the fields of economy, tourism, science, sports, and other areas of mutual interest was emphasized.

The President of the Republic and the President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic also addressed the importance of strengthening and protecting democratic institutions, emphasizing the need for continued cooperation in promoting democratic values, the rule of law, and the protection of human rights.

The sides reaffirmed their readiness to further deepen friendly relations between Armenia and the Czech Republic and to develop new areas of cooperation.

At the conclusion of the meeting, President Vahagn Khachaturyan made an entry in the Chamber of Deputies’ book of honorary guests.

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An official dinner was hosted by President of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel in honor of President of the Republic of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan, who is on an official visit to the Czech Republic.

Toast by President Vahagn Khachaturyan:

“It is a great honor and a particular pleasure for me to be in the Czech Republic. First and foremost, allow me to express my gratitude to You, Mr. President, and to the friendly people of the Czech Republic for the warm welcome, generous hospitality, and sincere friendship.

Relations between Armenia and the Czech Republic have a strong historical foundation. Contacts between our peoples were established long before Armenia gained independence and, over time, went through different stages, while maintaining their important place in the memory of our two peoples.

Cultural interaction has played a significant role in the development of Armenian-Czech ties. Interest in the history, culture, and literature of Armenia developed within Czech society, while Armenian intellectuals and public figures established ties with Czech cultural and academic circles.

As early as the 19th century, in 1843, the Czech naturalist and professor at the University of Prague, Friedrich Kolenati, who was travelling in the Caucasus, met in Tbilisi with Khachatur Abovyan, the prominent Armenian writer, illuminator, educator, and founder of modern Armenian literature. Today, the meeting of these two great intellectuals is highly symbolic for us, as Armenian-Czech contacts were established at a time when there were not only no diplomatic relations between our countries in the modern sense, but there was not even an Armenian state.

In the 20th century, these ties were enriched with important humanitarian and cultural dimensions. Czech writer and traveler Karel Hansa holds a special place in the history of Armenian-Czech friendship. In 1922, while in the Middle East, he met Armenians who had survived the Armenian Genocide. Upon returning to Czechoslovakia, he published the book “The Horrors of the East”, gave lectures, and initiated efforts to support Armenian orphans.

One of the most beautiful names in Armenian-Czech literary relations is Ludmila Motalová. During her short life, the Czech Armenologist and translator made an enormous contribution to introducing Armenian literature to Czech readers. She translated works by Isahakyan, Tumanyan, Charents, Bakunts, Sevak, Hrant Matevosyan, and many other Armenian authors. Her husband, journalist and writer Jiří Skoumal, also had a deep interest in Armenia and Armenian literature.

In 1971, he travelled as far as the village of Chanakhchi, the birthplace of the great Armenian poet Paruyr Sevak, to meet him and present him with a Czech translation of his work.

That meeting has a particular significance today as well. Just three days later, Paruyr Sevak tragically passed away in an accident. However, his words continued their journey to the Czech Republic thanks to Motalová’s translations and the dedication of people such as Skoumal.

The Armenian presence in Prague, however, has not been limited to literature. Today, Armenian-Czech cultural dialogue continues to develop in new forms. Armenian and Czech artists, musicians, writers, scholars, and cultural organizations continue to create new opportunities for cooperation.

Our rich historical and cultural heritage finds a unique expression in the character of our two capitals as well. Prague is known as the “City of a Hundred Spires,” while Yerevan is known as the “Pink City.” Although they have different colors and architectural profiles, both capitals have succeeded in harmoniously combining their rich centuries-old heritage with a modern and creative spirit.

Perhaps it is precisely this harmonious combination of tradition and modernity that constitutes one of the most beautiful bridges connecting our two peoples.

I belong to a generation for whom, in childhood, Jaroslav Hašek’s “The Good Soldier Švejk,” and later, in adulthood, Franz Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis,” were so-called bedside books, a generation in whose homes Bedřich Smetana’s “The Bartered Bride” and Antonín Dvořák’s “From the New World,” his Ninth Symphony, were constantly heard. This is the land that gave birth to such geniuses as Gregor Mendel, Sigmund Freud, and many others.

Following the independence of the Republic of Armenia, our rich historical and cultural ties acquired a new, inter-state dimension, developing into stable areas of political, interparliamentary, economic, educational, and cultural cooperation. Over the years, bilateral relations have acquired a comprehensive and multifaceted character.

We highly value the development of political dialogue with the Czech Republic and the attention that the Czech Republic devotes to Armenia and the region. Moreover, on the path toward deepening Armenia-EU relations, the Czech Republic is an important partner and a reliable bridge, creating new opportunities for advancing our European agenda through its support.

I am confident that in the coming years we can make fuller use of the potential of Armenia-Czech relations by expanding trade and economic ties, promoting investment cooperation, and developing cooperation in energy, high technologies, science and education, as well as in other areas of mutual interest.

Here today, in Prague, I would like to reaffirm that the Republic of Armenia is committed to continuing the steady development of its relations with the Czech Republic. I am also more than confident that the friendship between our two peoples, which has stood the test of time, will continue to strengthen and acquire new content, becoming increasingly visible in the everyday lives of our citizens.

Allow me, on this solemn occasion, to raise a glass:

To the further strengthening of friendship and partnership between the Republic of Armenia and the Czech Republic,

To mutual respect, trust, and friendship between our peoples,

To peace, stability, prosperity, and progress for Armenia and the Czechia,

Long live the Republic of Armenia, long live the Czech Republic, and long live Armenia-Czech friendship!”

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Within the framework of his official visit to the Czech Republic, President of the Republic Vahagn Khachaturyan delivered a lecture at CEVRO University in Prague.

In his remarks, the President addressed important developments taking place in Armenia and the region in recent years, their impact on Armenia’s domestic and foreign policy agendas, as well as the existing challenges and ways to address them.

President Khachaturyan presented the progress of democratic and institutional reforms being implemented in Armenia, emphasizing the importance of strengthening the rule of law, democratic governance, the protection of human rights, and the effectiveness of state institutions.

The President also touched upon the main directions of Armenia’s economic policy, enhancing economic resilience, improving the investment environment, and creating new opportunities for development. In this context, he highlighted the interconnectedness between economic development and the strengthening of democratic institutions.

President Khachaturyan also spoke about Armenia’s vision for establishing peace and stability in the region and the steps being taken in this direction, emphasizing the need to advance the peace agenda, build mutual trust, and create new opportunities for regional cooperation.

During the lecture, the President also presented Armenia’s foreign policy priorities, stressing the importance of deepening relations with European partners, including the Czech Republic, and developing new areas of cooperation.

At the conclusion of the event, President Khachaturyan answered questions from the university’s faculty members and students, addressing their inquiries regarding Armenia’s domestic and foreign policy, regional developments, and economic and democratic reforms.

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Within the framework of his official visit to the Czech Republic, President of the Republic Vahagn Khachaturyan, together with President of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel, attended the event at the Office of the President of the Czech Republic entitled “Solidarity: Commemorating Czech Support to Armenia Following the 1988 Earthquake.”

The event was attended by representatives of the Czech rescuers who carried out rescue missions in Armenia following the devastating earthquake of December 7, 1988, as well as representatives of organizations that organized humanitarian fundraising campaigns.

In his remarks, President Khachaturyan expressed his gratitude to all those who supported Armenia during the difficult days following the earthquake.

“What our friends in Czechoslovakia did in 1988 was invaluable and will never be forgotten. At that time, we were in great need of support. I was in the earthquake zone, in the Spitak area, and it was only in the morning that we realized the true scale of the disaster—destroyed homes, people trapped under the rubble, and a lack of the necessary tools and resources. In that difficult situation, any assistance, including the support provided by rescuers who came from Czechoslovakia, was of great importance to us,” the President of the Republic said.

Vahagn Khachaturyan expressed confidence that the work carried out by the Czech rescuers, which helped save human lives, would never be forgotten.

“I would like to extend my words of gratitude to all those who took part in that mission and are here with us today. Be assured that what you did lives on in the memories of the people you helped. Thank you once again,” the President said.

At the conclusion of the event, representatives of the Czech rescuers conveyed their greetings to the people of Armenia and presented President Khachaturyan with the Czech Rescuers’ Medal as a symbolic token of friendship and solidarity.

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Within the framework of his official visit to the Czech Republic, President of the Republic Vahagn Khachaturyan met with representatives of the Armenian community in the Czech Republic.

At the beginning of the meeting, the President presented the current developments in Armenia’s domestic political and social life, as well as the main directions of the ongoing systemic reforms.

Particular attention was paid to the continued strengthening of defense capabilities, improving the efficiency of the healthcare system, expanding the quality and accessibility of education, and improving social protection mechanisms.

According to Vahagn Khachaturyan, the security of Armenia and the well-being of its citizens are at the core of the state’s policy. He emphasized that the purpose of the ongoing changes is not only to address existing challenges in individual sectors, but also to establish strong state systems necessary for sustainable development, enhance the effectiveness of institutions, and strengthen social cohesion.

Representatives of the community asked the President questions concerning Armenia’s domestic and foreign policy priorities, regional processes, and current developments. They also discussed opportunities to deepen Armenia-Diaspora ties, expand mutual engagement, and make more effective use of the community’s potential for the benefit of Armenia’s development.

It was noted that expanding economic, educational, and cultural ties is among the important areas for developing cooperation. In this context, the implementation of joint programs and initiatives was highlighted as an important means of further strengthening the community’s participation and engagement in Armenia’s development processes.