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HE STATEMENT AND ANSWERS OF EDWARD NALBANDIAN DURING THE JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE WITH EDGARS RINKEVICS, THE LATVIAN MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
http://www.mfa.am/en/press-conference/item/2012/11/15/latvia_fm_conf/
15.11.2012
Good afternoon.
I am pleased to welcome Edgars Rinkevics, the Latvian Minister of
Foreign Affairs who is in Armenia on an official visit. In January
of this year I was in Riga and now I am pleased to host my Latvian
counterpart in Yerevan.
Today we had an opportunity to continue our discussions over bilateral
relations and regional issues. We mentioned with satisfaction that we
have a good legal framework of bilateral relations; there are already
24 agreements signed between the two countries
We held reciprocal visits at the highest level. Last year, in response
to the visit of the President of Latvia Andris BÄ"rziÅ~FÅ¡, Serzh
Sargsyan, the President of the Republic of Armenia, paid an official
visit to Latvia during which important agreements were reached and
a number of documents were signed.
Numerous visits took place at the level of different agencies. A
protocol on holding of consultations between the two countries'
MFAs is signed. The next consultations are scheduled to be held at
the beginning of the next year, i.e. in January.
The Speaker of the RA National Assembly Hovik Abrahamyan received an
invitation to visit Latvia and he schedules to pay that visit in the
first half of the next year.
Friendship groups are functioning in both parliaments. We hope
that the Latvian Parliament's Friendship Group would sooner come to
Armenia. An appropriate invitation was sent by Eduard Sharmazanov,
who heads the Armenian Parliament's Friendship Group. We have quite
intensified our cultural ties.
Today we touched upon the possibility to increase the trade and
economic volume, and we would still continue the discussions over that.
We exchanged views on a number of regional and global issues.
I informed my Latvian colleague about the efforts exerted towards the
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. We share the opinion and we
agree that the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, based on the
principles of international law, exclusively through peaceful means,
has no alternative, as proposed by the Co-Chair countries.
We touched upon the developments unrolling in the Middle East, as
well as we talked about Iran.
Today we will have an opportunity to continue our talks during the
working lunch, immediately after the press conference.
Question,H2, My question is addressed to the Armenian Minister of
Foreign Affairs. Mr. Nalbandian, Azerbaijan's Deputy Foreign Minister
stated that his country has proposed a road map for the settlement of
the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, which actually is a "phased settlement"
and it repeats the version circulated in the 90s. Is Armenia going
to present its own road map?
Edward Nalbandian: First of all, let me say that the impression is that
the person who did that statement remained with the information from
the mid-90s and now he is trying to represent Azerbaijan's position
saying that it is what it was in 1995. Since 1995, 15-17 years have
already passed and the train has moved on and some people in Azerbaijan
were left in the station. I guess that they should run in order to
reach the train, because the train is moving on. The international
community has already proposed a road map in Kazan. It is about the
fundamental principles of the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue,
which were presented by the Co-Chair countries.
I want to remind you that after Kazan Summit, in Deauville the
Presidents of the United States, Russia and France called upon the
sides to accept those proposals.
But you know that it was impossible to achieve a progress in Kazan,
as Azerbaijan refused those proposals.
I do not think that the question of some new road map proposed
by Azerbaijan is serious, especially if it is about a 17-years old
proposal. Had that 17 years-old proposed road map had any meaning, then
at that time it would have been possible to move forward on that basis.
It is needed to be more realistic and to have serious approach over
the international community's proposals, which are presented by
the Co-Chairs.
Those proposals were presented in Kazan, as well as appropriate
statements were made on presidential level in Los Cabos, Deauville,
Muskoka and L'Aquila. We should move forward on the basis of those
proposals. Regarding the Armenian position on those proposals, it
has repeatedly and unequivocally been presented many times.
Question, Public Radio: my question is for the Armenian Minister
of Foreign Affairs. Mister Nalbandian, you accompanied President
Serzh Sargsyan during his trip to France. What is your assessment on
the visit?
Edward Nalbandian: I think that media extensively covered that visit
and its results. I may add that the trip was exhaustive, effective
and as always very warm. This is the fourth visit of the President
Serzh Sargsyan to France. During that visit, meetings were held
with the French President, Prime Minister, President of the Senate
and President of the National Assembly. There were meetings with the
members of the friendship groups of the National Assembly and Senate,
as well. I would like to mention that those friendship groups are
the biggest in the French National Assembly and Senate.
As you now, we paid a visit to Lyon, where the Mayor provided quite
a warm reception. We had meetings with the Armenians living in Lyon
and the Lyon region, attended by more than 1500 people. According
to the Municipality the number of the attendees reached 1900. The
Armenians living in Lyon provided very warm reception in honor of
the Armenian President.
We had an important meeting with the business circles in the Chamber
of Commerce and Industry of Lyon. We attach great importance to the
development of economic relations with France which is the second
investor in Armenia. Today there are 155 companies with French
capital functioning in Armenia. We pay a special attention to the
decentralized cooperation with France. In that regard, the Lyon visit
was quite important.
There are almost thirty cities and regions of France and Armenia which
are tied with brotherhood and have agreements for cooperation. The
relations with France are unique and that visit gave another
opportunity to underline the reciprocal willingness and commitment
to do the utmost to continue the heightening of mutually beneficial
cooperation between the two countries which is on top level. Next year,
we are expecting France's President Hollande to pay a state visit to
Armenia which would definitely be an important point in the further
development of our relations.
http://www.mfa.am/en/press-conference/item/2012/11/15/latvia_fm_conf/
15.11.2012
Good afternoon.
I am pleased to welcome Edgars Rinkevics, the Latvian Minister of
Foreign Affairs who is in Armenia on an official visit. In January
of this year I was in Riga and now I am pleased to host my Latvian
counterpart in Yerevan.
Today we had an opportunity to continue our discussions over bilateral
relations and regional issues. We mentioned with satisfaction that we
have a good legal framework of bilateral relations; there are already
24 agreements signed between the two countries
We held reciprocal visits at the highest level. Last year, in response
to the visit of the President of Latvia Andris BÄ"rziÅ~FÅ¡, Serzh
Sargsyan, the President of the Republic of Armenia, paid an official
visit to Latvia during which important agreements were reached and
a number of documents were signed.
Numerous visits took place at the level of different agencies. A
protocol on holding of consultations between the two countries'
MFAs is signed. The next consultations are scheduled to be held at
the beginning of the next year, i.e. in January.
The Speaker of the RA National Assembly Hovik Abrahamyan received an
invitation to visit Latvia and he schedules to pay that visit in the
first half of the next year.
Friendship groups are functioning in both parliaments. We hope
that the Latvian Parliament's Friendship Group would sooner come to
Armenia. An appropriate invitation was sent by Eduard Sharmazanov,
who heads the Armenian Parliament's Friendship Group. We have quite
intensified our cultural ties.
Today we touched upon the possibility to increase the trade and
economic volume, and we would still continue the discussions over that.
We exchanged views on a number of regional and global issues.
I informed my Latvian colleague about the efforts exerted towards the
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. We share the opinion and we
agree that the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, based on the
principles of international law, exclusively through peaceful means,
has no alternative, as proposed by the Co-Chair countries.
We touched upon the developments unrolling in the Middle East, as
well as we talked about Iran.
Today we will have an opportunity to continue our talks during the
working lunch, immediately after the press conference.
Question,H2, My question is addressed to the Armenian Minister of
Foreign Affairs. Mr. Nalbandian, Azerbaijan's Deputy Foreign Minister
stated that his country has proposed a road map for the settlement of
the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, which actually is a "phased settlement"
and it repeats the version circulated in the 90s. Is Armenia going
to present its own road map?
Edward Nalbandian: First of all, let me say that the impression is that
the person who did that statement remained with the information from
the mid-90s and now he is trying to represent Azerbaijan's position
saying that it is what it was in 1995. Since 1995, 15-17 years have
already passed and the train has moved on and some people in Azerbaijan
were left in the station. I guess that they should run in order to
reach the train, because the train is moving on. The international
community has already proposed a road map in Kazan. It is about the
fundamental principles of the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue,
which were presented by the Co-Chair countries.
I want to remind you that after Kazan Summit, in Deauville the
Presidents of the United States, Russia and France called upon the
sides to accept those proposals.
But you know that it was impossible to achieve a progress in Kazan,
as Azerbaijan refused those proposals.
I do not think that the question of some new road map proposed
by Azerbaijan is serious, especially if it is about a 17-years old
proposal. Had that 17 years-old proposed road map had any meaning, then
at that time it would have been possible to move forward on that basis.
It is needed to be more realistic and to have serious approach over
the international community's proposals, which are presented by
the Co-Chairs.
Those proposals were presented in Kazan, as well as appropriate
statements were made on presidential level in Los Cabos, Deauville,
Muskoka and L'Aquila. We should move forward on the basis of those
proposals. Regarding the Armenian position on those proposals, it
has repeatedly and unequivocally been presented many times.
Question, Public Radio: my question is for the Armenian Minister
of Foreign Affairs. Mister Nalbandian, you accompanied President
Serzh Sargsyan during his trip to France. What is your assessment on
the visit?
Edward Nalbandian: I think that media extensively covered that visit
and its results. I may add that the trip was exhaustive, effective
and as always very warm. This is the fourth visit of the President
Serzh Sargsyan to France. During that visit, meetings were held
with the French President, Prime Minister, President of the Senate
and President of the National Assembly. There were meetings with the
members of the friendship groups of the National Assembly and Senate,
as well. I would like to mention that those friendship groups are
the biggest in the French National Assembly and Senate.
As you now, we paid a visit to Lyon, where the Mayor provided quite
a warm reception. We had meetings with the Armenians living in Lyon
and the Lyon region, attended by more than 1500 people. According
to the Municipality the number of the attendees reached 1900. The
Armenians living in Lyon provided very warm reception in honor of
the Armenian President.
We had an important meeting with the business circles in the Chamber
of Commerce and Industry of Lyon. We attach great importance to the
development of economic relations with France which is the second
investor in Armenia. Today there are 155 companies with French
capital functioning in Armenia. We pay a special attention to the
decentralized cooperation with France. In that regard, the Lyon visit
was quite important.
There are almost thirty cities and regions of France and Armenia which
are tied with brotherhood and have agreements for cooperation. The
relations with France are unique and that visit gave another
opportunity to underline the reciprocal willingness and commitment
to do the utmost to continue the heightening of mutually beneficial
cooperation between the two countries which is on top level. Next year,
we are expecting France's President Hollande to pay a state visit to
Armenia which would definitely be an important point in the further
development of our relations.