Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Speaker: `Our Friendship with Lebanon Has Sincere and Firm Bases'

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Speaker: `Our Friendship with Lebanon Has Sincere and Firm Bases'

    National Assembly (Parliament.am), Armenia
    April 10 2010


    HOVIK ABRAHAMYAN: `Our Friendship with Lebanon Has Sincere and Firm Bases'

    1 / 1
    On April 11-14 the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of
    Armenia Hovik Abrahamyan will pay an official visit to Lebanon. On
    this occasion the reporter of Azg daily talked to the Speaker of RA
    National Assembly over a number of issues:

    `Mr. Abrahamyan, after the visit to Armenia in 1997 of the Speaker of
    the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri it's the first time that the
    Speaker of the Armenian Parliament will visit Lebanon. The relations
    of the two countries are very warm. In the friendly country we have
    rather influential Armenian community. There are two Armenian
    ministers in the Government of Lebanon, six Armenian MPs. How are the
    Armenian-Lebanese parliamentary relations today?'

    `First of all, I say that the friendly warm relations that exist
    between Armenia and Lebanon, are based on mutual trust. That trust
    exists at all levels between the political, economic peoples.

    Regarding the parliamentary cooperation, it began in 1993. Today
    parliamentary friendship groups are functioning in the parliaments of
    the two countries, which contribute to the development of the
    inter-state relations. In Armenia we warmly remember the visit of the
    Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri to our country in 1997.
    We cannot forget and not to remember with gratitude that on May 12,
    2000 the Parliament of Lebanon presided over him recognized and
    condemned the Armenian Genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire. And
    on April 3, 1997 the National Council of Lebanon adopted a Resolution,
    where it recognized April 24 as Commemoration Day of the Armenian
    people's tragic massacre.

    The members of the Armenian-Lebanese Friendship Parliamentary Group of
    the Parliament of Lebanon also took part in the events organized in
    2005 within the framework of the 15th anniversary of the Armenian
    Parliament.

    It's very good that the Armenian MPs are included in the Parliament of
    Lebanon. I am sure that it is an additional impetus for the
    development of the Armenian-Lebanese relations and inter-parliamentary
    cooperation.'

    `The traditional Armenian parties of Lebanon, despite the existing
    competition among them cooperate, have united council, which often is
    also able to have an influence on the decisions of the state
    structures of Lebanon. How do you assess their role?'

    `By your permission, I'll begin from Armenia: any tension in the
    motherland willy-nilly had an impact on the feelings of the Diaspora.

    The Armenian authorities are for retaining stability and ensuring
    development in the country, to which are directed their steps, as the
    split after all did not benefit anybody. The traditional Armenian
    parties in Lebanon are consolidated in national issues, which
    testifies to the fact that they are led by that conscience. One of the
    freshest expressions was the circumstance that the three Armenian
    traditional parties in Lebanon made joint statements after the
    initiation of the Armenian-Turkish protocols, claiming that the
    Armenian-Turkish relations should be established without
    preconditions.

    In every country the issue of retaining Armenian identity is prior for
    the Armenian community. The influential Armenian community of Lebanon
    always was distinguished by good organizational skills and dignity.
    Due to the existing friendly attitude towards them in Lebanon, the
    Armenians don't feel themselves alien. Moreover, the Armenians in
    Lebanon are patriotic for Armenia and Lebanon. Irrespective of
    different events I think that the role of the Armenian Lebanese has
    not decreased in that country, i.e. they are the inseparable branches
    of the Lebanese Cedar. The traditional Armenian parties of Lebanon
    took a role of special small motherland on them, a link with the
    motherland, attitude towards the motherland, preservation of language
    and word, national identity and defence. In this aspect, their role is
    invaluable, and also responsible. In honour of the traditional
    Armenian parties of Lebanon, I'll say that they deeply realize that
    responsibility. To retain the roots becomes more complicated with
    every new generation. But with Armenian scripts, in the name of the
    Armenian newspapers, with Armenian voice in the name of the Armenian
    radio stations, they are able to do that, as there is high perception
    of self-conscience.'

    `Referring to the Armenian-Turkish protocols mentioned by you, I'll
    say that the issue is especially painful in case of the Armenian
    Diaspora¦'

    `Today, some political forces are trying to use our people's feelings
    on their own personal interests. And the protocols referring to the
    Armenian-Turkish relations' normalization they have made, it will be
    forgiven to say, a toy for their political ideas. It won't seem to be
    surprising but in the Diaspora in general, they refer to this issue
    more reserved than some Armenian political forces. One thing should be
    clear for everybody: the Armenian authorities won't take steps, which
    will be against the interests of our country, people, nation, which
    will violate its history and feelings. That is, in 1915 the Armenian
    Genocide perpetrated towards the Armenian in Ottoman Turkey is an
    undeniable truth, is not subject of discussion, doubt and bargaining.'

    `What will you say about the Armenian-Lebanese relations, taking into
    account also the activation of Lebanon-Turkey contacts during the
    recent period?'

    `Every country decides itself the format of its relations emanating
    from its political and economic interests. If Armenia and Lebanon have
    no problems in inter-state relations, it means that we don't build our
    relations taking into account the relations with the third countries,
    but we emanate from the friendship of our mutual sincere and firm
    bases, and why not also bilateral interests.

    Besides, the history documents that on the shores of the Mediterranean
    Sea and in more deep, Genocide was perpetrated towards Armenians, and
    on the other shore, in the name of Lebanon, our compatriots, who
    hardly survived from the genocide, were warmly accepted. The thing
    that the Parliament of Lebanon officially recognized the Armenian
    Genocide, the thing that the Armenian Lebanese feel themselves in
    Lebanon as at home, testifies to the attitude of this country. We
    won't forget that Lebanon is the state of the Arabic world with which
    Armenia has a Friendship Agreement.'

    'Lebanon is considered a country of developed financial-banking
    system, in the conditions of international economic crisis the banking
    capital of that country has hundred fold increased. What field of
    cooperation do you see?'

    `First, I'll note that in Armenia about 50 enterprises with Lebanese
    capital function in different spheres, including, two banks with
    Lebanese capital in the banking sphere. Especially significant was the
    investment of Lebanon in the sphere of communication of Armenia.

    With respect to deepening of economic relations it would be also
    desirable that the Armenian businessmen have investments in Lebanon.
    And here the activation of the works of the Armenian-Lebanese
    Inter-Governmental Commission can have its role.

    In the sense of confronting the economic crisis the banks in Armenia
    showed high resistance, and today's situation shows that their
    balances are rather healthy. Nevertheless, the experience of the
    banking system of Lebanon, especially in the conditions of economic
    crisis is exemplary for Armenia. I think that we can initiate an
    Armenian-Lebanese banking forum, which can become good opportunity for
    the exchange of experience, business cooperation and involvement of
    investments. By the way, as far as I know the Vice Chairman of the
    Central Bank of Lebanon is Armenian.

    In general, we have a big potential of developing economic relations
    and we should work in that direction.

    Source: Azg daily, interview by Marieta Khachatryan
Working...
X