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SERZH SARGSYAN: ARMENIA ATTACHES IMPORTANCE TO NECESSITY OF DEVELOPING RELATIONS WITH BALKAN STATES
NOYAN TAPAN
SEPTEMBER 8, 2009
VELIKI BRIJUN
The negotiations in an enlarged staff held on the first day of RA
President Serzh Sargsyan's two-day official visit to Croatia were
followed by his joint press conference with Croatian President
Stjepan Mesic.
According to RA President's Press Office, S. Sargsyan stated that
Armenia attaches importance to the necessity of deepening and
developing relations with Croatia and in general with Balkan states
in all spheres, political, economic, cultural.
In his words, the Armenian and Croatian peoples had a similar fate, a
past full of ordeals, which todays creates a basis for firm friendship,
mutual respect and confidence. "Our nations' history has also various
marvellous crossings, which is also evidence of Armenian-Croatian old
historic contacts and cultural penetration. For me, it was pleasant and
surprising to hear that the saint patron of your wonderful Dubrovnik
and the whole Dalmatia, Sveti Vlaho is indeed Armenian Archbishop of
Sebastia Saint Barsegh," S.
Sargsyan said.
Stating that since independence Armenian-Croatian contacts were
irregular for objective reasons, S. Sargsyan meanwhile mentioned that
at present the situation has changed radically and gives a possibility
to enrich the agenda of Armenian-Croatian relations by various issues.
"Now we should form formats of periodical contacts and ensure
contacts between various strata of our societies. Establishment of
interparliamentary contacts, formation of intergovernmental commission
and establishment of contacts at the level of local self-government
bodies will be its important components," the RA President said. He
added that Armenia welcomes the possibility of cooperation with Croatia
in all possible EU formats and in particular, within the framework
of the Eastern Partnership and Black Sea Confederation programs.
Mentioning that in his private talk to the Croatian President
they had also touched upon problems of international and regional
mutual interest, including the latest developments in the Nagorno
Karabakh settlement negotiations process, S. Sargsyan mentioned with
satisfaction that Croatia as a country that got independent as a
result of Jugoslavia's collapse, realizes very well the importance
of the principle of peoples' self-determination and the possible
consequences of opposing an armed force to it. "Using force against
people struggling for self-determination only strengthens that people's
right in the legal, political, and moral sphere," S. Sargsyan said
adding that regional conflicts should be settled without use of force,
only peacefully and through negotiations.
S. Sargsyan also presented to his counterpart the current condition of
Armenia's initiative aimed at normalizing Armenia-Turkey relations. In
his words, mutual understanding was recorded in the issue that
lifting the blockade of Armenia by Turkey and establishment of normal
diplomatic relations cannot proceed from any preconditions.
NOYAN TAPAN
SEPTEMBER 8, 2009
VELIKI BRIJUN
The negotiations in an enlarged staff held on the first day of RA
President Serzh Sargsyan's two-day official visit to Croatia were
followed by his joint press conference with Croatian President
Stjepan Mesic.
According to RA President's Press Office, S. Sargsyan stated that
Armenia attaches importance to the necessity of deepening and
developing relations with Croatia and in general with Balkan states
in all spheres, political, economic, cultural.
In his words, the Armenian and Croatian peoples had a similar fate, a
past full of ordeals, which todays creates a basis for firm friendship,
mutual respect and confidence. "Our nations' history has also various
marvellous crossings, which is also evidence of Armenian-Croatian old
historic contacts and cultural penetration. For me, it was pleasant and
surprising to hear that the saint patron of your wonderful Dubrovnik
and the whole Dalmatia, Sveti Vlaho is indeed Armenian Archbishop of
Sebastia Saint Barsegh," S.
Sargsyan said.
Stating that since independence Armenian-Croatian contacts were
irregular for objective reasons, S. Sargsyan meanwhile mentioned that
at present the situation has changed radically and gives a possibility
to enrich the agenda of Armenian-Croatian relations by various issues.
"Now we should form formats of periodical contacts and ensure
contacts between various strata of our societies. Establishment of
interparliamentary contacts, formation of intergovernmental commission
and establishment of contacts at the level of local self-government
bodies will be its important components," the RA President said. He
added that Armenia welcomes the possibility of cooperation with Croatia
in all possible EU formats and in particular, within the framework
of the Eastern Partnership and Black Sea Confederation programs.
Mentioning that in his private talk to the Croatian President
they had also touched upon problems of international and regional
mutual interest, including the latest developments in the Nagorno
Karabakh settlement negotiations process, S. Sargsyan mentioned with
satisfaction that Croatia as a country that got independent as a
result of Jugoslavia's collapse, realizes very well the importance
of the principle of peoples' self-determination and the possible
consequences of opposing an armed force to it. "Using force against
people struggling for self-determination only strengthens that people's
right in the legal, political, and moral sphere," S. Sargsyan said
adding that regional conflicts should be settled without use of force,
only peacefully and through negotiations.
S. Sargsyan also presented to his counterpart the current condition of
Armenia's initiative aimed at normalizing Armenia-Turkey relations. In
his words, mutual understanding was recorded in the issue that
lifting the blockade of Armenia by Turkey and establishment of normal
diplomatic relations cannot proceed from any preconditions.