Official visit of President Serzh Sargsyan to France

On September 27, President Serzh Sargsyan arrived on official visit to France.

After the official ceremony of welcoming, on the first day of the visit the President of Armenia had a working dinner with the members of the French National Assembly.

In his speech, President Serzh Sargsyan underscored that development of relations with France occupies an important place in Armenia’s foreign agenda. He also noted with satisfaction that the Armenian-French cooperation in all areas is getting stronger and deeper. Serzh Sargsyan expressed confidence that meetings and negotiations to be conducted in the framework of his official visit to France and later, during President Sarkozy’s state visit to Armenia will become a new milestone on the road of development of the Armenian-French relations.

Using the opportunity, President Sargsyan once again thanked French parliamentarians for their contribution to the recognition by France of the Armenian Genocide.

President Sargsyan expressed gratitude to the French people for a continually warm attitude toward the Armenian nation manifested in the most difficult moments - extending helping hand to our compatriots who survived the Genocide, sharing their pain and sheltering in their country, providing opportunities to live and create. The President of Armenia expressed confidence that close Armenian-French relations will develop eternally.

In the framework of his official visit to France, on September 28 President Serzh Sargsyan met with President Nicolas Sarkozy.

At the meeting, which took place after the official welcoming ceremony, the Presidents of the two countries discussed the process and prospects of development of the multifaceted Armenian-French relations.

Welcoming the President of Armenia, the President of France noted that he is looking forward to his state visit to Armenia and said that the framework of the visit itself is intended to demonstrate exceptionally cordial relations between the two states.

Nicolas Sarkozy underscored that France is Armenia’s friend and will always stand by its side. The President of France hailed reforms implemented in Armenia under the leadership of the President.

President Sarkozy noted with satisfaction that France is the second largest investor for Armenia however will not stop there and will continue to come up with new projects.

Serzh Sargsyan expressed gratitude for warm reception and noted that he was glad his visit to France was taking place at this particular moment when Armenia celebrates the 20th anniversary of its independence. President Sargsyan underlined that our country is keenly interested in developing relations with France. “We are proud with our relations with France, and we attach the utmost importance to the established close relations between our two states,” President Sargsyan said.

During the working dinner, Presidents of Armenia and France discussed also cooperation in the areas of energy, infrastructure development, education and culture.

They also spoke about regional issues and the current stage of the NK peace process.

Before his meeting with the President of France, Serzh Sargsyan met with the President of the National Assembly Bernard Accoyer.

The President of the National Assembly underscored that there are very few countries that French Parliament has relations comparable with the relations with the Armenian Parliament. Bernard Accoyer assessed these relations as unique and noted that Armenia has very active friends in the French National Assembly; at the same time France has equally good friends at the National Assembly of Armenia.

The parties stressed the importance of interparliamentary diplomacy in strengthening relations of the two countries. They also highlighted active work of the friendship groups in the parliaments of Armenia and France.

On September 28 in Paris, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan met with the Prime Minister of France Francois Fillon.

The parties noted with satisfaction and welcomed the growth of the French investments in the economy of Armenia. They agreed to continue political support for and encourage participation of French companies in the projects implemented in different areas of the Armenian economy. Stressed was the importance of French involvement in the energy sphere, particularly of the companies with extensive experience, in the construction of a new nuclear plant in Armenia. Prime Minister Francoise Fillon said that toward that end a group of French experts will be sent to Armenia to discuss on the spot prospects of cooperation. They also spoke about the possibilities to develop cooperation and engage French companies in the area of road construction, including North-South highway. According to Prime Minister Fillon, pertinent expert groups will be dispatched to Armenia for more detailed studies of the possibilities of the implementation of the programs related to the strategic development of road and railway construction.

President Serzh Sargsyan and Prime Minister Fillon discussed also issues related to Armenia-EU cooperation. The parties stressed the importance of France’s assistance to Armenia’s efforts aimed at Eurointegration, particularly in the framework of the Eastern Partnership program. They noted that there will be ample opportunities to discuss these issues during the Eastern Partnership Summit in Warsaw.

Along with the issues pertaining to the strengthening of the relations in political and economic areas, the President of Armenia and Prime Minister of France discussed also issues related to the deepening of the relations in the areas of education and culture.

Prime Minister Fillon expressed hope that the forthcoming state visit of President Sarkozy will be signified by new programs of cooperation between Armenia and France in different, including economic, areas.

In the evening of September 28, President Serzh Sargsyan together with the President of the French Republic Nicolas Sarkozy in the Olympia Concert Hall in Paris was present at the concert of the world-famous Armenian-French chansonnier Charles Aznavour dedicated to the 20th anniversary of Armenia’s independence.

In the framework of the visit, on September 29 President Serzh Sargsyan had a working lunch with the Armenian and French businessmen at the Union of French Entrepreneurs.

(The full text of the Speech by President Serzh Sargsyan at the working lunch with the Armenian and French businessmen is presented in the News portal of the website)

In France President Sargsyan met with the Mayor of Paris Bertrand Delanoe. After the meeting, the President of Armenia and Mayor of Paris met with the representatives of the Armenian community.

(The full text of the Welcoming remarks by President Serzh Sargsyan at the meeting with the Mayor of Paris Bertrand Delanoe and representatives of the Armenian community is presented in the Statements portal of the website)