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Press releases
10
11, 2009
State visit of President Serzh Sargsyan to Hungary
The President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan continues his state visit to Hungary. At the conclusion of the high-level negotiations, in the evening of November 9, the President of Hungary gave a state dinner in honor of the President of Armenia.
In Budapest, the President of Armenia met also with the Speaker of the Hungarian Parliament Bela Katona and the Prime Minister of Hungary Gordon Bajnai.
At the meeting with the Speaker of the Parliament, stressed was the importance of developing the interparliamentary ties and cooperation in the international interparliamentary structures. The two sides noted with satisfaction that the friendship groups have been formed in both Parliaments which are functioning quite successfully. The Speaker of the Hungarian Parliament said that he is familiar with Armenia and he has had an opportunity to visit our country and get acquainted with Armenia and her culture as member of the Hungary-Armenia parliamentary friendship group. At the meeting discussed were also issues related to the historical and cultural contacts of the two peoples and similarities between them.
At the meeting with the Prime Minister of Hungary Gordon Bajnai discussed were opportunities for the invigoration of the economic cooperation. It was noted that the state visit of the President of Armenia and high-level negotiations on one hand, and the interagency agreements signed yesterday in Budapest, the Armenian-Hungarian business forum and contacts on the other, create a favorable atmosphere for the development of the economic relations. President Sargsyan said that Armenia desires to give momentum to the relations with Hungary on bilateral as well as multilateral levels. “Centuries-long friendship of the Armenian and Hungarian peoples is a sound base for developing our relations in the economic and other areas,” noted Serzh Sargsyan. The President of Armenia and the Prime Minister of Hungary stressed their readiness to support all practical initiatives and investment projects which will emerge after the business forum.
President Sargsyan and Prime Minister Bajnai spoke also about the steps of the governments of the two countries aimed at the mitigation of the consequences of the global financial and economic crisis and the current situation with the world economy. The Prime Minister of Hungary also underscored that Hungary attaches great importance to the EU Eastern Partnership program and during its EU presidency in 2011 will continue to view it as a priority. In his turn, Serzh Sargsyan noted that the EU Eastern Partnership program allows on one hand to develop relations with the European Union and its member states, and on the other – to foster the reforms in our country. At the request of the Prime Minister of Hungary Gordon Bajnai, President Serzh Sargsyan spoke about Armenia’s approaches toward the normalization of relations with Turkey without preconditions and in a sensible timeframe and the current phase of the NK peace process. Gordon Bajnai said that Hungary is welcoming the signing of the Protocols for the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations and supports that process. He underscored that peaceful settlement of the regional problems in addition to the normalization of relations will also change the international standing of the entire region, promoting stability, development, durable peace, cooperation, and atmosphere of mutual trust.
President Sargsyan and Prime Minister Bajnai met also with the participants of the ongoing Armenian-Hungarian business forum, familiarized with the results of the forum and reached agreements.
In Budapest, the President of Armenia visited also the Primate of Hungary, Cardinal Peter Erdo. During the meeting with the spiritual leader of Hungary, President Serzh Sargsyan spoke about the historical and cultural similarities of the two nations and contacts between them. President Sargsyan underlined that the church, especially in the absence of statehood, played a unique and indispensable role in the Armenian and Hungarian peoples’ fight for freedom. Speaking about similarities of the two nations, Cardinal Peter Erdo in his turn noted, “The Armenian and Hungarian peoples have a great experience of rebirth and rising after centuries of deprivation and sufferings.” Serzh Sargsyan praised the fact that in Hungary our compatriots have a status of national minority and enjoy all opportunities which come with that status, preserving their national identity.
In the framework of his state visit to Hungary, the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and the President of Hungary Lezslo Solyom participated at the opening ceremony of the exhibition organized by the Institute of Military History of the Ministry of Defense of Hungary. The exhibition is dedicated to the history of the Armenian-Hungarian military interaction. Presidents Sargsyan and Solyom toured the exhibition and viewed the exhibits.
In the second half of the day, after the conclusion of his state visit to Hungary, the President of Armenia arrived on a brief working visit to Kaliningrad at the invitation of the Governor of Kaliningard, Georgi Boss.
In Budapest, the President of Armenia met also with the Speaker of the Hungarian Parliament Bela Katona and the Prime Minister of Hungary Gordon Bajnai.
At the meeting with the Speaker of the Parliament, stressed was the importance of developing the interparliamentary ties and cooperation in the international interparliamentary structures. The two sides noted with satisfaction that the friendship groups have been formed in both Parliaments which are functioning quite successfully. The Speaker of the Hungarian Parliament said that he is familiar with Armenia and he has had an opportunity to visit our country and get acquainted with Armenia and her culture as member of the Hungary-Armenia parliamentary friendship group. At the meeting discussed were also issues related to the historical and cultural contacts of the two peoples and similarities between them.
At the meeting with the Prime Minister of Hungary Gordon Bajnai discussed were opportunities for the invigoration of the economic cooperation. It was noted that the state visit of the President of Armenia and high-level negotiations on one hand, and the interagency agreements signed yesterday in Budapest, the Armenian-Hungarian business forum and contacts on the other, create a favorable atmosphere for the development of the economic relations. President Sargsyan said that Armenia desires to give momentum to the relations with Hungary on bilateral as well as multilateral levels. “Centuries-long friendship of the Armenian and Hungarian peoples is a sound base for developing our relations in the economic and other areas,” noted Serzh Sargsyan. The President of Armenia and the Prime Minister of Hungary stressed their readiness to support all practical initiatives and investment projects which will emerge after the business forum.
President Sargsyan and Prime Minister Bajnai spoke also about the steps of the governments of the two countries aimed at the mitigation of the consequences of the global financial and economic crisis and the current situation with the world economy. The Prime Minister of Hungary also underscored that Hungary attaches great importance to the EU Eastern Partnership program and during its EU presidency in 2011 will continue to view it as a priority. In his turn, Serzh Sargsyan noted that the EU Eastern Partnership program allows on one hand to develop relations with the European Union and its member states, and on the other – to foster the reforms in our country. At the request of the Prime Minister of Hungary Gordon Bajnai, President Serzh Sargsyan spoke about Armenia’s approaches toward the normalization of relations with Turkey without preconditions and in a sensible timeframe and the current phase of the NK peace process. Gordon Bajnai said that Hungary is welcoming the signing of the Protocols for the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations and supports that process. He underscored that peaceful settlement of the regional problems in addition to the normalization of relations will also change the international standing of the entire region, promoting stability, development, durable peace, cooperation, and atmosphere of mutual trust.
President Sargsyan and Prime Minister Bajnai met also with the participants of the ongoing Armenian-Hungarian business forum, familiarized with the results of the forum and reached agreements.
In Budapest, the President of Armenia visited also the Primate of Hungary, Cardinal Peter Erdo. During the meeting with the spiritual leader of Hungary, President Serzh Sargsyan spoke about the historical and cultural similarities of the two nations and contacts between them. President Sargsyan underlined that the church, especially in the absence of statehood, played a unique and indispensable role in the Armenian and Hungarian peoples’ fight for freedom. Speaking about similarities of the two nations, Cardinal Peter Erdo in his turn noted, “The Armenian and Hungarian peoples have a great experience of rebirth and rising after centuries of deprivation and sufferings.” Serzh Sargsyan praised the fact that in Hungary our compatriots have a status of national minority and enjoy all opportunities which come with that status, preserving their national identity.
In the framework of his state visit to Hungary, the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and the President of Hungary Lezslo Solyom participated at the opening ceremony of the exhibition organized by the Institute of Military History of the Ministry of Defense of Hungary. The exhibition is dedicated to the history of the Armenian-Hungarian military interaction. Presidents Sargsyan and Solyom toured the exhibition and viewed the exhibits.
In the second half of the day, after the conclusion of his state visit to Hungary, the President of Armenia arrived on a brief working visit to Kaliningrad at the invitation of the Governor of Kaliningard, Georgi Boss.