Foreign visits
High-level Armenian-Greek negotiations took place in Greece
At the invitation of the President of Greece Prokopis Pavlopoulos President Serzh Sargsyan arrived on March 14 to Greece.
Before the high-level negotiations, President Serzh Sargsyan in Athens laid a wreath and paid tribute at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. After the official welcoming ceremony at the residence of the President of Greece, Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Prokopis Pavlopoulos held a tete-a-tete meeting. The President of Armenia and Prokopis Pavlopoulos, who before becoming President of Greece was a member of the Greek-Armenian Friendship Group at the Parliament and is well informed on the most important issues related to Armenia, discussed the agenda of the interstate relations and issues pertinent to the bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the framework of international and regional organizations, development of the mutually beneficial Armenian-Greek partnership in a number of vital areas, interparliamentary ties, the process of international recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide and issues related to the NK peace process. Two Presidents spoke also about the most pressing issues of the international agenda, presented the views of the two countries, discussed the Armenia-European Union relations and the role played by the friendly Greece in the development of these relations, crisis in the Middle East, particularly in Syria and consequent humanitarian catastrophe, spoke about the consequences of the crisis created by the refugees, which today has become a pan-European problem and a serious daily challenge for the government of Greece.
After the private meeting, President Prokopis Pavlopoulos hosted an official dinner in the honor of the President of Armenia. At the dinner, the Presidents of the two countries proposed toasts, touched upon the high-level Armenian-Greek interstate relations, potential for making them even closer and developing a mutually beneficial cooperation in different areas, centuries-long friendship of the Armenian and Greek peoples which represent ancient civilizations, history based on the common past and traditions, and the role of the Armenian community of Greece which plays a significant role in further strengthening of the friendship of the two nations. “References to the hospitality of the friendly people of Greece are made in the Odyssey of the great Homer; however Greek “xenia” is well-known to us, Armenians not only from literature. True to the behest not to abandon a helpless stranger, one hundred years ago Greece gave a refuge to the thousands of Armenians who lost their Fatherland and their homes. Today, I state proudly that striking roots in Greece, the Armenian community strengthened and flourished, bringing its creative input to the prosperity of Greece and strengthening the Armenian-Greek interstate relations. Such treatment of guests is very close to the Armenian heart; however this manifestation of hospitality is not the only similarity linking us together. Armenians and Greeks are more than just friends. We are related through the common history and traditions. Representatives of the two ancient civilizations, the Armenian and Greek peoples were creating side by side, leaving their imprints on the pages of the world history. They also fought side by side, earning their right to live. Today too, as bearers of similar values and moral principles, we stand side by side, earning our right to live and to prosper. Based on that legacy, today we continue to solidify the Armenian-Greek friendship, which for the last 24 years has been of the interstate nature.
Today we have a busy bilateral agenda ranging from the active political dialogue to cooperation in the areas of education and culture. We also cooperate closely in the military area. In the Armenia-EU relations, Greece is one of our key partners. Regular high-level reciprocal visits allow to outline new opportunities for cooperation. My present visit is a vivid example of that: its main purpose is to elevate our economic cooperation to a new level based on the potential we have,” said President Serzh Sargsyan and offered to raise glasses for the centuries-long history of the Armenian and Greek peoples, for the present friendship and perpetual coexistence of future generations.
Welcoming the President of Armenia and his delegation, President Prokopis Pavlopoulos underscored that the official visit of the Armenian President to Greece testifies to the high level and exceptional importance of bilateral cooperation in all areas – political, economic, and cultural. Noting that Armenians and Greeks are closely linked by historical and friendly ties, President Prokopis Pavlopoulos stressed that those historical ties, which had become the basis for today’s interstate relations, were forged in a course of centuries in most difficult circumstances. “At the beginning of the 20th century, the two nations for the same reason went through excruciating moments as is evidenced by the history of the Armenian people, of the Pontic Greeks and events related to the Greeks of Asia Minor. We will not forget the Armenian Genocide of 1915. We are proud that Greece was among those few countries which gave refuge to the deported Armenians; Greece was also among the first countries which recognized the Armenian Genocide, while the Armenian Parliament recognized the genocide of the Pontic Greeks. Mr. President, we should keep in mind that historical memory is important for the collective conscience of the humankind; it is also important for the future of the humanity. Especially now, in these challenging times, when black is clouding the global horizon, we need to remember the past, not as a means to instill hatred but to be able to avoid such tragedies in the past,” said the President of Greece. The President of Armenia concurred with his colleague and underscored that remembering and condemning the Genocide is aimed at preventing future genocides and prove that our enemies failed in their attempt to eliminate the entire nation.
The President of Greece spoke about wide perspectives and prospects of the Armenian-Greek bilateral ties which in his opinion after the visit of the President of Armenia will become even stronger. In his speech, the President of Greece spoke in detail about the pivotal issues in the foreign policy of his country, such as Greek-Turkish relations, the Cyprus issue, regional challenges, the position of Greece on the issue of refugees. In this context, he also presented the position of Greece on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and noted that in its foreign policy Greece adheres to the principle of a peaceful resolution of all issues based on the international law and accepted norms and certainly maintains the same position regarding the NK conflict. Prokopis Pavlopoulos underlined that the OSCE Minsk Group is the most efficient platform for the resolution of the conflict. According to the President of Greece, his country attaches great importance to the issues of security in the South Caucasus, peace and stability also from the viewpoint of the region’s economic development. “I am confident, Mr. President, that considering all these challenges we all, within the scope of our abilities, should do everything possible to counter these crises. I would like to raise a glass and drink to your health and the wellbeing of the friendly Armenian nation, and wish the fulfillment of national aspirations and goals, and advancement in every area,” said the President of Greece.
On March 14, President Serzh Sargsyan also gave an interview to the public TV of Greece.
Later, President Serzh Sargsyan together with President Prokopis Pavlopoulos at the Byzantine and Christian Museum of Athens attended the opening of the Armenia: The Spirit of Ararat Exhibition. In the evening, the President of Armenia will meet with the representatives of the Armenian structures of Greece.
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In the framework of his official visit to Greece, President Serzh Sargsyan on March 14 in Athens visited the Byzantine and Christian Museum where together with President Prokopis Pavlopoulos he was present at the opening of Armenia: The Spirit of Ararat Exhibition. Over one hundred exhibits on display on two stories of the central unit of the Museum present Armenia from the Bronze Age to the 20th century. The exponents are unique in nature – they were excavated on the present territory of Armenia, among them precious and extremely valuable architectural and sculptural pieces, unique worship and ceremonial items, as well as manuscripts and items of arts and crafts from different historical and ethnographic regions of Armenia. The Exhibition has three thematic subdivisions: The Charm and Power of the Armenian Civilization, Armenia in a Changing World, and Calling Out to the Living (dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide).
Presidents of Armenia and Greece, accompanied by the Ministers of Culture of the two countries and members of official delegations and numerous guests toured the exhibition halls and observed the reaches of the Exhibition.
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President Serzh Sargsyan on March 14 met with the representatives of the Armenian structures in Greece. At the beginning of the meeting, the President expressed gratitude for the opportunity to communicate in a warm and sincere atmosphere and informed on the extensive agenda of his official visit to Greece, results of his negotiations with President Prokopis Pavlopoulos, issues under discussion, and answered questions raised by the participants.
Serzh Sargsyan stated with contentment that the centuries-long Armenian-Greek warm relations have not only been preserved, but have entered the stage of the interstate and political ties in which according to the President, the Armenian community has had an important role. “I am living blissful moments each time when our Greek partners speak about the input of the Armenian community to the development of the Greek state, when they speak with special warmth about the diligence, dedication, and organized nature of the Armenians,” said President Sargsyan. Along with the Armenian-Greek relations, the President spoke about the issues on the internal and external agenda of our country which this year celebrates the 25th anniversary of independence, process of Armenia’s advancement, ideas and priorities, the most important issues facing Armenia and Spyurk, current regional and international challenges, numerous events organized as a result Armenia’s and Diaspora’s coordinated efforts and dedicated to the centennial of the Armenian Genocide, including activities aimed at the international recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide. “Greece is among the countries which was not only among the first to recognize the Armenian Genocide (in 1996) and announce April 24 the official day for commemoration of the victims of the Genocide, but also in 2014 criminalized the denial of the genocides of the Pontiac Greeks and Armenians. We will never forget the invaluable assistance of Greece and the Greek people extended to the Armenians during the Metz Eghern and in consequent years, when boats loaded with the Armenian refugees anchored at the seaport of Piraeus. With the help of Greeks, Armenians settled in Athens, Salonika, Thessaly, on the vast plains of Macedonia and Thrace and elsewhere and received unconditional support and assistance of the Greek authorities. Today too, we are witnessing active participation of the high-level officials of Greece in the commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, particularly in the events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Genocide. We are watching closely activities carried out by the Armenian community and with this regard I would like to give special thanks to the working group which was coordinating the events dedicated to the anniversary, its supporters, to all structures and individuals for the exceptionally high level of the events. We are fully aware that the centennial was a milestone which gave our struggle a new impetus. We should use this experience and achievements to move the Armenian Cause further in the most organized and synchronized way.
Dear attendees,
We truly have only two lasting values – Armenia and the Armenian nation. Everything else is subordinate to them. Thus, our strategic task is to have a strong and organized Spyurk, and the crucial task for the Spyurk is the preservation of the Armenian identity, in the name of our future generations fight against assimilation and loss of our culture and language. We have to make joint and persistent efforts on this direction, we should develop and call to life the most purposeful and far-reaching programs. I am confident that a strong Fatherland is the primary key for the preservation of the Armenian nation. By amassing the entire potential of our nation, we must build a strong and secure Armenia. Among the critical issues that Armenia and Spyurk face together is assistance to our compatriots who find themselves in a dire situation. Over 17000 of them have relocated to Armenia, and the Fatherland has been striving to support them in every possible way. I am glad that our plea to help the Syrian Armenians was joined by the Armenian communities all over the world, including your community which allowed to considerably alleviate their daily needs, especially in Syria.
Dear Compatriots,
This year our entire nation will celebrate the 25th anniversary of Armenia’s independence with a great splendor. After the collapse of the Soviet Union we have had ups and downs, accomplishments and losses. Last twenty-five years have been full of difficulties and situations which seemed impassable. We became independent under really complex conditions – on the north the country had been struck by a devastating earthquake, we were in a war which was forced on us, Turkey and Azerbaijan imposed a blockade; in addition, the imperative to carry out fundamental reforms in the political and economic structures positioned us face to face with multiple challenges. But we didn’t give up: we won in the war imposed on us and stepped on the road leading to state building and development. Today, there still exist numerous factors and negative phenomena which hinder our normal advancement, but in this context I would like to mention an important fact: state is an absolute value - we must believe in our statehood and be devoted to it. Statehood, just like our families, needs a day by day care. In our state we represent both the positive and the negative; we cannot ascribe all good things to ourselves and reject the negative, or speak only about shortcomings, disregarding the accomplishments. We are the ones who create our state, each and every one of us, through our endless dedication and all together – through our united and common work.
Despite difficulties, in a quarter of century of our independence, we have had success which makes our progress irreversible. We have formed democratic institutions, civil society, and created vital prerequisites for the development of our economy. In these 25 years, our country became a full member of the international community, bringing its modest contribution to the international peace and security. Thanks to our transparent and consistent foreign policy, we have been able to avoid perilous geopolitical upheavals, establishing mutually beneficial partnership with various forces involved in our region. Nevertheless, state building is an incessant process: democratic institutions and the legal field should be upgraded constantly to bring their best to our citizens and expedite the achievement of our goals. As you know, recently we have introduced the most important changes to the Main Law of Armenia – the Constitution. This process propels us to a qualitatively new level of development which in my deep conviction will greatly promote the creation of the most open, most just and fair society, the most inclusive participation of the political units in addressing problems facing the country and will create the foundation for making the life of our future generations more favorable and more secure. Empowered with the twenty-five years of independence, today we look into the future with a greater confidence; we see and acknowledge our problems and we are making steadfast steps forward,” said President Serzh Sargsyan at the meeting with the representatives of the Armenian structures of Greece.
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President Serzh Sargsyan on March 15 laid a wreath at the monument dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide located at the Nea Smyrni Square in Athens and accompanied by the representatives of the Armenian community, clergy and Armenian cadets, who receive military education in Greece, paid tribute to the memory of the victims.
Later, at the government building the President of Armenia had a meeting with the Prime Minister of Greece Alexis Tsipras. Serzh Sargsyan and Alexis Tsipras stressed the importance of deepening the mutually beneficial cooperation in a number of areas – trade and economy, agriculture, culture, education, health care, tourism and others, as well as the necessity to encourage investments and contacts between the representatives of business circles and with this regard highlighted the role of the intergovernmental commission. Prime Minister Tsipras assessed as promising the development of the trilateral Iran-Greece-Armenia cooperation, considering warm and friendly relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Islamic Republic of Iran. He noted that his country has a good experience of such trilateral cooperation in the Greece-Cyprus-Israel and Greece-Cyprus-Egypt formats, which in his assessment, are functioning efficiently. The Prime Minister noted that Greece also sees opportunities in cooperation between the EU and EEU and would like to bring his participation to the process. On behalf of his country, the Prime Minister of Greece expressed readiness to support the development of the Armenia-EU relations, bringing to a successful conclusion negotiations on a new Armenia-EU legal document on cooperation. Along with the discussions on the bilateral agenda items, the President of Armenia and Prime Minister of Greece exchanged views on current international problems, challenges, as well as regional developments. Presenting the position of his country regarding current international problems, Alexis Tsipras underscored that they must be solved through peaceful means, based on the norms of international law. He also underlined that Greece supports a peaceful resolution of the NK problem through negotiations in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group and would like to see a peaceful, secure and stable development of the region.
After the private meeting of the President of Armenia and Prime Minister of Greece, there took place extended negotiations with the participation of the official delegations. At the conclusion of the discussions, the parties signed a number of documents aimed at the development and deepening of the Armenian-Greek cooperation in a number of areas. In particular, signed were the Program of Cooperation between the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia and Ministry of Health of the Hellenic Republic in the area of Health Care and Medical Aid for 2016-2018, Action Plan of Cooperation between the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Armenia and Government of the Hellenic Republic for 2016-2020, Program of Cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Armenia and Government of the Hellenic Republic on Cooperation in the area of Education and Research for 2016-2020.
President Serzh Sargsyan and Prime Minister of Greece Alexis Tsipras recapped the results of the negotiations with the joint statements for the representatives of mass media.
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On March 15, in Athens President Serzh Sargsyan met with the President of the Parliament of Greece Nikos Voutsis. The President of Armenia and President of the Parliament of Greece stressed the importance of interparliamentary ties in the strengthening the interstate relations and expansion of the cooperation agenda. Noting that the National Assembly of Armenia has a good tradition of forming friendly relations with numerous European countries, President Sargsyan from that viewpoint stressed the importance of the reestablishment in the parliament of Greece of the Greece-Armenia Friendship Group, which in his opinion, could become a serious impetus for the development of bilateral interparliamentary relations. The President of Armenia stressed, in particular, the importance of the principled stance of the parliaments of the two countries regarding sensitive issues. In that context, President Sargsyan expressed gratitude to Nikos Voutsis and in his person to the Parliament of Greece which was among the first to recognize the Armenian Genocide and which in 2014 adopted a law on the criminalization of the denial of the Armenian Genocide. The President of Armenia noted that representatives of the Armenian community of Greece and traditional Armenian structures functioning in Greece at the meeting asked him to convey to the President of the Greek Parliament and its members their gratitude and reminded that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the recognition by Greece of the Armenian Genocide.
Serzh Sargsyan noted with satisfaction efficient meetings he has had with President Pavlopoulos and Prime Minister Tsipras which took place in the framework of his official visit to Greece. At the meetings, the parties stressed the importance of maintaining a regular political dialogue, expansion of cooperation in the economic, cultural and scientific areas, as well as consistent deepening of the interparliamentary ties. With regard to the strengthening of interparliamentary ties, President Sargsyan highlighted personal contribution of Nikos Voutis and noted that he was anticipating continuous and active steps aimed at the strengthening of the centuries-long Armenian-Greek friendly relations.
On the last day of his visit to the Republic of Greece, before the working lunch with the Nikos Voutis, President Serzh Sargsyan held meetings with the representatives of the local Armenian national organizations such as ARF, RAK and SDHK.