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09
11, 2009
State visit of President Serzh Sargsyan to Hungary
Today, at the invitation of President Lazslo Solyom, the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan arrived on a state visit to Hungary. This is the first visit of the Armenian President to this Central European country since independence.
The official welcoming ceremony of the President of Armenia took place in the Presidential Palace, where Serzh Sargsyan made an inscription in the Book of Honorary Guests. Afterwards, Presidents Sargsyan and Solyom held a tête-à-tête meeting, which was continued with the participation of the delegations. Greeting and welcoming the President of Armenia to Hungary, President Lazslo Solyom noted that Hungary views Armenia as an important partner with which it is ready to deepen political dialogue and promote cooperation in economic and cultural areas in bilateral as well as multilateral formats. Presidents Sargsyan and Solyom expressed confidence that the state visit of the President of Armenia will serve as a powerful impetus for animating relations between the two countries and noted that the agreements to be signed in the framework of the state visit and other documents, which are being prepared for signing, will form an adequate legal field for further promoting friendly relations between Armenia and Hungary.
Presidents Sargsyan and Solyom underlined that despite a considerable dynamics in the political dialogue, the economic and trade relations of the two countries so far do not reflect the existing potential. The leaders of the two states expressed confidence that the signed agreements and the business forum opening in Budapest will promote business contacts and along with mitigating the consequences of the global financial and economic crisis will allow to increase the trade turnover between Armenia and Hungary. They also stressed the importance of developing further cooperation between the state bodies of the two countries, as well as of enhancing direct cooperation between different towns and cities in Armenia and Hungary.
Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Lazslo Solyom stressed the importance of deepening cooperation of the two countries not only in international organizations but also in other multilateral settings, particularly, in the framework of Eastern Partnership program. Serzh Sargsyan noted that Armenia attaches utmost importance to its European policy and views Eastern Partnership policy as a new opportunity to deepen her relations with the European Union as an entity, as well as with its individual members. The President of Hungary noted that his country was following closely Armenia’s plan of actions in the framework of the European Neighborhood and Eastern Partnership programs and the progress of the reforms conducted in that context. He underlined that during its presidency in EU in 2011, Hungary will hold among priorities the Eastern Partnership program.
During the high-level negotiations, Serzh Sargsyan told his Hungarian colleague about the Armenia-Turkey normalization process and the current stage of the NK peace talks. “We are striving to solve the current problems without preconditions, through peaceful means and establish relations with our neighbor, channeling the existing resources toward stable and peaceful development of the region. I believe, that development in the region can be ensured only through cooperation, durable peace, and stability,” Serzh Sargsyan said. In his turn, the President of Hungary Lazslo Solyom welcomed progress achieved in the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations and said that Hungary is supportive of the process of normalization between the two neighboring states. “During our negotiations, I saw how determined Armenia is to normalize relations with her neighbors and move ahead with the resolution of the longstanding problems,” the President of Hungary noted. At the meeting, the Presidents of the two countries exchanged also views on the issues of regional security.
President Serzh Sargsyan expressed gratitude to his counterpart for the unbiased and just stance of the Hungarian justice system regarding the case of horrendous murder in Budapest of the Armenian officer, Gurgen Margarian. He also thanked the Hungarian authorities for the praiseworthy policy toward the Armenian-Hungarian community, noting that our compatriots in Hungary were a reliable bridge between the two nations.
The President of Armenia invited his Hungarian colleague to conduct a reciprocal visit to Armenia, which will allow to continue political dialogue, review the process of implementation of the reached agreements and point out priorities for the deepening of the bilateral cooperation. The President of Hungary Lazslo Solyom accepted Serzh Sargsyan’s invitation to visit Armenia.
After the conclusion of the high-level negotiations, Presidents Sargsyan and Solyom attended the ceremony of signing intergovernmental agreements on avoidance of double taxation and prevention of tax evasion, on cooperation between the Ministries of Agriculture and Justice, as well as the agreement on cooperation in economic area. After the ceremony, the Presidents of Armenia and Hungary made statements summarizing results of the negotiations.
In the framework of the visit, the President of Armenia visited the Heroes’ Square in Budapest and laid a wreath at the monument of the heroes who fought for Hungary’s independence. Serzh Sargsyan laid also flowers at the khachkar situated in the center of the city and dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide, and conversed with the representatives of the Armenian community gathered around the khachkar.
The official welcoming ceremony of the President of Armenia took place in the Presidential Palace, where Serzh Sargsyan made an inscription in the Book of Honorary Guests. Afterwards, Presidents Sargsyan and Solyom held a tête-à-tête meeting, which was continued with the participation of the delegations. Greeting and welcoming the President of Armenia to Hungary, President Lazslo Solyom noted that Hungary views Armenia as an important partner with which it is ready to deepen political dialogue and promote cooperation in economic and cultural areas in bilateral as well as multilateral formats. Presidents Sargsyan and Solyom expressed confidence that the state visit of the President of Armenia will serve as a powerful impetus for animating relations between the two countries and noted that the agreements to be signed in the framework of the state visit and other documents, which are being prepared for signing, will form an adequate legal field for further promoting friendly relations between Armenia and Hungary.
Presidents Sargsyan and Solyom underlined that despite a considerable dynamics in the political dialogue, the economic and trade relations of the two countries so far do not reflect the existing potential. The leaders of the two states expressed confidence that the signed agreements and the business forum opening in Budapest will promote business contacts and along with mitigating the consequences of the global financial and economic crisis will allow to increase the trade turnover between Armenia and Hungary. They also stressed the importance of developing further cooperation between the state bodies of the two countries, as well as of enhancing direct cooperation between different towns and cities in Armenia and Hungary.
Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Lazslo Solyom stressed the importance of deepening cooperation of the two countries not only in international organizations but also in other multilateral settings, particularly, in the framework of Eastern Partnership program. Serzh Sargsyan noted that Armenia attaches utmost importance to its European policy and views Eastern Partnership policy as a new opportunity to deepen her relations with the European Union as an entity, as well as with its individual members. The President of Hungary noted that his country was following closely Armenia’s plan of actions in the framework of the European Neighborhood and Eastern Partnership programs and the progress of the reforms conducted in that context. He underlined that during its presidency in EU in 2011, Hungary will hold among priorities the Eastern Partnership program.
During the high-level negotiations, Serzh Sargsyan told his Hungarian colleague about the Armenia-Turkey normalization process and the current stage of the NK peace talks. “We are striving to solve the current problems without preconditions, through peaceful means and establish relations with our neighbor, channeling the existing resources toward stable and peaceful development of the region. I believe, that development in the region can be ensured only through cooperation, durable peace, and stability,” Serzh Sargsyan said. In his turn, the President of Hungary Lazslo Solyom welcomed progress achieved in the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations and said that Hungary is supportive of the process of normalization between the two neighboring states. “During our negotiations, I saw how determined Armenia is to normalize relations with her neighbors and move ahead with the resolution of the longstanding problems,” the President of Hungary noted. At the meeting, the Presidents of the two countries exchanged also views on the issues of regional security.
President Serzh Sargsyan expressed gratitude to his counterpart for the unbiased and just stance of the Hungarian justice system regarding the case of horrendous murder in Budapest of the Armenian officer, Gurgen Margarian. He also thanked the Hungarian authorities for the praiseworthy policy toward the Armenian-Hungarian community, noting that our compatriots in Hungary were a reliable bridge between the two nations.
The President of Armenia invited his Hungarian colleague to conduct a reciprocal visit to Armenia, which will allow to continue political dialogue, review the process of implementation of the reached agreements and point out priorities for the deepening of the bilateral cooperation. The President of Hungary Lazslo Solyom accepted Serzh Sargsyan’s invitation to visit Armenia.
After the conclusion of the high-level negotiations, Presidents Sargsyan and Solyom attended the ceremony of signing intergovernmental agreements on avoidance of double taxation and prevention of tax evasion, on cooperation between the Ministries of Agriculture and Justice, as well as the agreement on cooperation in economic area. After the ceremony, the Presidents of Armenia and Hungary made statements summarizing results of the negotiations.
In the framework of the visit, the President of Armenia visited the Heroes’ Square in Budapest and laid a wreath at the monument of the heroes who fought for Hungary’s independence. Serzh Sargsyan laid also flowers at the khachkar situated in the center of the city and dedicated to the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide, and conversed with the representatives of the Armenian community gathered around the khachkar.