Tweet
THE ADDRESS OF THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER EDWARD NALBANDYAN AT THE ANNUAL PRESS CONFERENCE, SUMMARIZING THE FOREIGN POLICY
Noyan Tapan
www.nt.am
14.01.2011
Dear journalists,
Ladies and gentlemen,
First of all I would like to congratulate you for the Christmas and
wish you Happy New Year. I wish the 2011 to be a year of prosperity
for you, your families and our country. Today, traditionally,
our press-conference is dedicated to the summarizing of the 2010
foreign policy.
Probably you are acquainted with my interview given to the Public
Television at the end of the last year where in some sense the past
year's foreign policy is summarized. You can find the transcript of the
mentioned interview on the web-site of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In my address I will concentrate on the most important events, and
you can further find more detailed information in the Annual Report
issued by the Ministry which will be distributed to you. Based on the
guidelines given by the President of the Republic, the activities
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2010 were aimed at ensuring
favourable external conditions for the development of the state,
strengthen its image, raise the efficiency of the protection
of Armenian and its citizens' interests abroad, present Armenian
approaches in the international arena, deepening the involvement in
international organizations and processes, further strengthening
cooperation with partner and friendly states as well as settle
relations with countries, with which some problems exist.
Thanks to the Armenian diplomacy's efforts, in the process of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, it became obvious that
the Armenian approaches are in line with the approaches of the
international community, which was reaffirmed in the five-sided
joint statement during the OSCE Summit in Astana on December 1,
in the Muskoka Statement by the heads of the OSCE Minsk Group
Co-Chair countries in the sidelines of the G8 Summit on June 26,
in the Astrakhan Declaration adopted by the Presidents of Armenia,
Russia and Azerbaijan on 27th of October, in the statement by the
Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group during the Almaty meeting of the
OSCE Ministers of Foreign Affairs on 17th of July.
During the year the President of the Republic visited all the
permanent member-states of the UN Security Council, had meetings
with the leadership of those countries. Last year was significant in
terms of further strengthening the Armenian-Russian partnership and
strategic relations, the culmination of which was the state visit
of the President Medvedev to Armenia, negotiations with the Armenian
President Sargsyan, the reached agreements and signed documents.
During 2010 the Armenian-US relations reached on a qualitatively new
level, which was particularly marked by President Serzh Sargsyan's
visit to Washington DC, meeting with the US President Barack Obama as
well as by the US State Secretary Hillary Clinton's visit to Yerevan.
Negotiations with EU on the Association Agreement have started where
an essential progress has been made. As a result of it, the cooperation
between Armenia and the EU will be put on a new basis.
Rapprochement with the European family continues to remain as one of
the Armenian foreign policy priorities.
Multidimensional cooperation with neighbouring Georgia and Iran has
continued. Foundations were laid for implementation of projects of
strategic importance with those countries. The policy of Armenia to
normalise the Armenian-Turkish relations has been received by the
international community with full understanding and support.
Purposeful steps were undertaken to further develop mutually beneficial
cooperation with the Asian countries, particularly with China, India
and Japan.
Active steps were initiated to develop relations with Arabic
countries during the year. Efforts were exerted to further extend
the cooperation with the countries of Latin America. Armenia has been
actively involved in the cooperation within the Collective Security
Treaty Organisation. Meetings of the Heads of the member-states of
the Organisation took place in Yerevan and Sevan.
Armenia intensively participated in the activities of the CIS and
EurAsEC and in the processes occurring within those Organisations.
The Individual Partnership Action Plan with NATO has been successfully
implemented. Armenia has continued its participation in international
peace-keeping activities. The participation in the activities of
the UN and other international organizations, as well as the active
involvement in the international campaign against terrorism and other
challenges has continued.
One of the pivotal issues of the foreign policy was the establishment
of stability, cooperation, security and peace in the South Caucasus.
Armenia exerted efforts to the achievement of a stable and secure
region.
The economic dimension of foreign policy has continued to play an
important role in our agenda, both in bilateral and multilateral
relations with international structures and financial institutions.
As a result of continuous work in inter-governmental trade and economic
committees of dozens of countries, agreements for future extensive
cooperation were reached, new projects were planned.
International cooperation in the fields of culture and education has
continued. Armenian Foreign Ministry contributed to the activities
of other Armenian state institutions in order to develop foreign
relations.
A big number of visits, political consultations, meetings and events
took place on intergovernmental, interagency and decentralized levels,
agreements were reached, around 70 international agreements were
signed which could serve as a good basis for future development of
the bilateral and multilateral relations.
The international recognition of the Armenian Genocide was in the
foreign policy agenda. On the 95th Anniversary of the Genocide events
were organised in around four dozens of countries to which the Armenian
diplomatic representations have shown their support. The Diplomatic
school of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs started to function in 2010,
which will soon have its first graduates.
The Law on Diplomatic Service has been amended, the Ministry
underwent structural changes. Last year Armenia opened embassies
in 7 countries (Kuwait, Czech Republic, Spain, Japan, Brazil, Iraq,
and the Netherlands).
Activities continued to further form international public opinion on
Armenia. The Armenian President and Foreign Minister made speeches
in leading think tanks, had interviews to eminent international mass
media outlets.
The President of the Republic had 22 foreign visits, Armenia
has been visited by 6 heads of other countries. President of the
National Assembly made 9 visits abroad. Prime-minister made 8 foreign
visits. 3 Heads of Foreign Governments, 14 Foreign Ministers, 5 Heads
of International organisations visited Armenia. Armenian Foreign
Minister made 24 visits. Thanks to the active and initiating foreign
policy on the international arena Armenia continued the strengthening
of its position as a predictable and trustful partner. Let me once
again congratulate you on the occasion of the holidays and wish
effective cooperation in the upcoming 2011.
From: A. Papazian
Noyan Tapan
www.nt.am
14.01.2011
Dear journalists,
Ladies and gentlemen,
First of all I would like to congratulate you for the Christmas and
wish you Happy New Year. I wish the 2011 to be a year of prosperity
for you, your families and our country. Today, traditionally,
our press-conference is dedicated to the summarizing of the 2010
foreign policy.
Probably you are acquainted with my interview given to the Public
Television at the end of the last year where in some sense the past
year's foreign policy is summarized. You can find the transcript of the
mentioned interview on the web-site of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In my address I will concentrate on the most important events, and
you can further find more detailed information in the Annual Report
issued by the Ministry which will be distributed to you. Based on the
guidelines given by the President of the Republic, the activities
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2010 were aimed at ensuring
favourable external conditions for the development of the state,
strengthen its image, raise the efficiency of the protection
of Armenian and its citizens' interests abroad, present Armenian
approaches in the international arena, deepening the involvement in
international organizations and processes, further strengthening
cooperation with partner and friendly states as well as settle
relations with countries, with which some problems exist.
Thanks to the Armenian diplomacy's efforts, in the process of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, it became obvious that
the Armenian approaches are in line with the approaches of the
international community, which was reaffirmed in the five-sided
joint statement during the OSCE Summit in Astana on December 1,
in the Muskoka Statement by the heads of the OSCE Minsk Group
Co-Chair countries in the sidelines of the G8 Summit on June 26,
in the Astrakhan Declaration adopted by the Presidents of Armenia,
Russia and Azerbaijan on 27th of October, in the statement by the
Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group during the Almaty meeting of the
OSCE Ministers of Foreign Affairs on 17th of July.
During the year the President of the Republic visited all the
permanent member-states of the UN Security Council, had meetings
with the leadership of those countries. Last year was significant in
terms of further strengthening the Armenian-Russian partnership and
strategic relations, the culmination of which was the state visit
of the President Medvedev to Armenia, negotiations with the Armenian
President Sargsyan, the reached agreements and signed documents.
During 2010 the Armenian-US relations reached on a qualitatively new
level, which was particularly marked by President Serzh Sargsyan's
visit to Washington DC, meeting with the US President Barack Obama as
well as by the US State Secretary Hillary Clinton's visit to Yerevan.
Negotiations with EU on the Association Agreement have started where
an essential progress has been made. As a result of it, the cooperation
between Armenia and the EU will be put on a new basis.
Rapprochement with the European family continues to remain as one of
the Armenian foreign policy priorities.
Multidimensional cooperation with neighbouring Georgia and Iran has
continued. Foundations were laid for implementation of projects of
strategic importance with those countries. The policy of Armenia to
normalise the Armenian-Turkish relations has been received by the
international community with full understanding and support.
Purposeful steps were undertaken to further develop mutually beneficial
cooperation with the Asian countries, particularly with China, India
and Japan.
Active steps were initiated to develop relations with Arabic
countries during the year. Efforts were exerted to further extend
the cooperation with the countries of Latin America. Armenia has been
actively involved in the cooperation within the Collective Security
Treaty Organisation. Meetings of the Heads of the member-states of
the Organisation took place in Yerevan and Sevan.
Armenia intensively participated in the activities of the CIS and
EurAsEC and in the processes occurring within those Organisations.
The Individual Partnership Action Plan with NATO has been successfully
implemented. Armenia has continued its participation in international
peace-keeping activities. The participation in the activities of
the UN and other international organizations, as well as the active
involvement in the international campaign against terrorism and other
challenges has continued.
One of the pivotal issues of the foreign policy was the establishment
of stability, cooperation, security and peace in the South Caucasus.
Armenia exerted efforts to the achievement of a stable and secure
region.
The economic dimension of foreign policy has continued to play an
important role in our agenda, both in bilateral and multilateral
relations with international structures and financial institutions.
As a result of continuous work in inter-governmental trade and economic
committees of dozens of countries, agreements for future extensive
cooperation were reached, new projects were planned.
International cooperation in the fields of culture and education has
continued. Armenian Foreign Ministry contributed to the activities
of other Armenian state institutions in order to develop foreign
relations.
A big number of visits, political consultations, meetings and events
took place on intergovernmental, interagency and decentralized levels,
agreements were reached, around 70 international agreements were
signed which could serve as a good basis for future development of
the bilateral and multilateral relations.
The international recognition of the Armenian Genocide was in the
foreign policy agenda. On the 95th Anniversary of the Genocide events
were organised in around four dozens of countries to which the Armenian
diplomatic representations have shown their support. The Diplomatic
school of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs started to function in 2010,
which will soon have its first graduates.
The Law on Diplomatic Service has been amended, the Ministry
underwent structural changes. Last year Armenia opened embassies
in 7 countries (Kuwait, Czech Republic, Spain, Japan, Brazil, Iraq,
and the Netherlands).
Activities continued to further form international public opinion on
Armenia. The Armenian President and Foreign Minister made speeches
in leading think tanks, had interviews to eminent international mass
media outlets.
The President of the Republic had 22 foreign visits, Armenia
has been visited by 6 heads of other countries. President of the
National Assembly made 9 visits abroad. Prime-minister made 8 foreign
visits. 3 Heads of Foreign Governments, 14 Foreign Ministers, 5 Heads
of International organisations visited Armenia. Armenian Foreign
Minister made 24 visits. Thanks to the active and initiating foreign
policy on the international arena Armenia continued the strengthening
of its position as a predictable and trustful partner. Let me once
again congratulate you on the occasion of the holidays and wish
effective cooperation in the upcoming 2011.
From: A. Papazian