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REMARKS BY FOREIGN MINISTER NALBANDIAN AND SECRETARY KERRY BEFORE THEIR MEETING
SECRETARY KERRY: Good morning, everybody. It's my pleasure today to
welcome Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian from Armenia. And for me,
it is a particular pleasure to welcome him because I think everybody
knows Massachusetts is home to one of the largest populations of
Armenians outside of Armenia, so we're very happy. I have many, many
friends in the Armenian community, and for years, have worked with
my friends in Armenia on a number of different issues.
Armenia today is an important partner with United States in a number
of initiatives. Importantly, they're helping us in Afghanistan with
ISAF, they've played a key role in Kosovo helping to keep peace there.
And one of the most issues, obviously, that we all really want to try
to see resolved one day is the frozen conflict of Nagorno-Karabakh. It
is critical that all the parties - when I say all the parties, I
mean, obviously, the Azerbaijanis, but also Turkey, Russia, Iran,
others - try to find a way to help break the impasse that has kept
this struggle alive and always potentially dangerous. So my hope is
that we will talk about that a little bit today.
We also have other issues of great importance to us: the economic
partnership, the development of the economy and strengthening of
democracy, and the security of our friends, the Armenian people. So
Mr. Foreign Minister, we're very, very happy to welcome you here
today. Thank you. Good to have you.
FOREIGN MINISTER NALBANDIAN: Thank you. It's a pleasure to be in
Washington. Thank you very much for a warm welcome. I'm very glad to be
back to Washington to meet you, Secretary, and to have a conversation
on perspectives of enhancement of the friendly partnership between
Armenia and the United States.
Both countries have a good interaction in the international arena
covering international regional security, proliferation, fight against
terrorism, as you mentioned, peacekeeping operations from Kosovo to
Afghanistan, other challenges, who are sharing vision - same vision -
that it is important to continue efforts to find exclusively peaceful
solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict based on the principles and
norms of international law, particularly non-use of force, excessive
force, self-determination, territorial integrity who are sharing
the vision that the relations between Armenia and Turkey should be
normalized without preconditions, who are sharing the same values
of democracy, fundamental freedoms, liberty, human rights, market
economy, who are very thankful that during the last two decades since
our independence, United States extended very important support for
Armenia, and we are thankful for that.
I would like to use also opportunity to express our gratitude to the
President Obama Administration for remarkable contribution to the
strengthening of Armenian-American relations, which are today in their
highest point. And I'm sure and confident that with our joint efforts,
we could elevate that to new heights. And the trust and understanding
between our two countries is - are the best pillars to extend further
our relations.
Thank you again very much. Thank you.
SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you very much, Edward. Thank you, sir. Thank
you all very much. Thank you.
Visit http://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2013/210256.htm for video
Website of the U.S. Department of State 21:47 04/06/2013 Story from
Lragir.am News: http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/politics/view/30037
From: A. Papazian
SECRETARY KERRY: Good morning, everybody. It's my pleasure today to
welcome Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian from Armenia. And for me,
it is a particular pleasure to welcome him because I think everybody
knows Massachusetts is home to one of the largest populations of
Armenians outside of Armenia, so we're very happy. I have many, many
friends in the Armenian community, and for years, have worked with
my friends in Armenia on a number of different issues.
Armenia today is an important partner with United States in a number
of initiatives. Importantly, they're helping us in Afghanistan with
ISAF, they've played a key role in Kosovo helping to keep peace there.
And one of the most issues, obviously, that we all really want to try
to see resolved one day is the frozen conflict of Nagorno-Karabakh. It
is critical that all the parties - when I say all the parties, I
mean, obviously, the Azerbaijanis, but also Turkey, Russia, Iran,
others - try to find a way to help break the impasse that has kept
this struggle alive and always potentially dangerous. So my hope is
that we will talk about that a little bit today.
We also have other issues of great importance to us: the economic
partnership, the development of the economy and strengthening of
democracy, and the security of our friends, the Armenian people. So
Mr. Foreign Minister, we're very, very happy to welcome you here
today. Thank you. Good to have you.
FOREIGN MINISTER NALBANDIAN: Thank you. It's a pleasure to be in
Washington. Thank you very much for a warm welcome. I'm very glad to be
back to Washington to meet you, Secretary, and to have a conversation
on perspectives of enhancement of the friendly partnership between
Armenia and the United States.
Both countries have a good interaction in the international arena
covering international regional security, proliferation, fight against
terrorism, as you mentioned, peacekeeping operations from Kosovo to
Afghanistan, other challenges, who are sharing vision - same vision -
that it is important to continue efforts to find exclusively peaceful
solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict based on the principles and
norms of international law, particularly non-use of force, excessive
force, self-determination, territorial integrity who are sharing
the vision that the relations between Armenia and Turkey should be
normalized without preconditions, who are sharing the same values
of democracy, fundamental freedoms, liberty, human rights, market
economy, who are very thankful that during the last two decades since
our independence, United States extended very important support for
Armenia, and we are thankful for that.
I would like to use also opportunity to express our gratitude to the
President Obama Administration for remarkable contribution to the
strengthening of Armenian-American relations, which are today in their
highest point. And I'm sure and confident that with our joint efforts,
we could elevate that to new heights. And the trust and understanding
between our two countries is - are the best pillars to extend further
our relations.
Thank you again very much. Thank you.
SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you very much, Edward. Thank you, sir. Thank
you all very much. Thank you.
Visit http://www.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2013/210256.htm for video
Website of the U.S. Department of State 21:47 04/06/2013 Story from
Lragir.am News: http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/politics/view/30037
From: A. Papazian