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07
10, 2010
President Sargsyan received participants of the Armenian-French Commission on decentralized cooperation
Today, President Serzh Sargsyan received participants of the Armenian-French Commission on decentralized cooperation.
The delegation comprised heads of local administration of French cities, administrative departments and regions, as well as members of the French Parliament.
Welcoming the guests, the President of Armenia noted that many of the participants have already established strong ties with Armenia and on many occasions have visited our country as members of different delegations.
“Armenian-French cooperation is deep-rooted. I have stated on many occasions and am happy to repeat it now that the Armenian people have maintained strong ties with France and French culture since long ago. The ties are so strong that sometimes it’s hard to distinguish between the two. Charles Aznavour and Michele Legrand, Garzu and Jansem, Anri Vernoy, Anri Troyat, Alen Terzian are pillars of French culture and, naturally, indivisible part of the Armenian culture. I am happy that relations between Armenia and France get stronger and expand every day,” the President of Armenia said. He also stressed the importance of high-level visits which recently have considerably intensified and the latest among them – his state visit to France last March.
Serzh Sargsyan spoke with satisfaction about expanding Armenian-French economic relations, noting that over 120 companies with French capital already functioning in Armenia, have been recently joined by France Telecom Orange.
The President of Armenia highlighted also the importance of decentralized cooperation which has been going on now for decades.
“More than thirty partnerships have already been established – as a result sister cities and regions are implementing dozens of programs. It’s good that the conference on decentralized cooperation is taking place in Yerevan and has a busy agenda. I am confident that agenda items will become priority directions for our cooperation. Decentralized cooperation complements relations between our two states, our two nations and makes it exemplary. I have no doubt that the Conference will give a new impetus to our cooperation,” underscored the President of Armenia.
Serzh Sargsyan addressed also word of appreciation to interparliamentary cooperation and to those individuals who move that cooperation forward, doing gratifying job of enhancing friendship and strong relations between the two countries and two peoples.
“This summer Armenia hosted members of the French Senate’s and National Assembly’s “France-Armenia” parliamentary friendship group, while National Assembly’s delegation comprised also members of “France-Turkey” parliamentary friendship group. Together they visited Nagorno Karabakh, where they met with the leadership of the NKR and local population and saw how these people live and what the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh is in general. I am sure that they were able to give impartial assessment to the situation,” the President of Armenia said and urged the participants of the Conference to visit Nagorno Karabakh.
President Sargsyan said that he’s aware that decentralized cooperation is being conducted also with the NKR. Speaking about Azerbaijan’s counteraction to this reality, the President of Armenia said that Azerbaijan’s motives were quite apparent – they want to leave Karabakh in obscurity, they don’t want anyone to see or hear anything about Karabakh, otherwise their entire bogus story collapses. According to the President, all those who visit Nagorno Karabakh, witness success of the people of Karabakh, see what a freedom-loving people live there, see millennia-long Christian culture created by them and see people’s confidence regarding their future.
The delegation comprised heads of local administration of French cities, administrative departments and regions, as well as members of the French Parliament.
Welcoming the guests, the President of Armenia noted that many of the participants have already established strong ties with Armenia and on many occasions have visited our country as members of different delegations.
“Armenian-French cooperation is deep-rooted. I have stated on many occasions and am happy to repeat it now that the Armenian people have maintained strong ties with France and French culture since long ago. The ties are so strong that sometimes it’s hard to distinguish between the two. Charles Aznavour and Michele Legrand, Garzu and Jansem, Anri Vernoy, Anri Troyat, Alen Terzian are pillars of French culture and, naturally, indivisible part of the Armenian culture. I am happy that relations between Armenia and France get stronger and expand every day,” the President of Armenia said. He also stressed the importance of high-level visits which recently have considerably intensified and the latest among them – his state visit to France last March.
Serzh Sargsyan spoke with satisfaction about expanding Armenian-French economic relations, noting that over 120 companies with French capital already functioning in Armenia, have been recently joined by France Telecom Orange.
The President of Armenia highlighted also the importance of decentralized cooperation which has been going on now for decades.
“More than thirty partnerships have already been established – as a result sister cities and regions are implementing dozens of programs. It’s good that the conference on decentralized cooperation is taking place in Yerevan and has a busy agenda. I am confident that agenda items will become priority directions for our cooperation. Decentralized cooperation complements relations between our two states, our two nations and makes it exemplary. I have no doubt that the Conference will give a new impetus to our cooperation,” underscored the President of Armenia.
Serzh Sargsyan addressed also word of appreciation to interparliamentary cooperation and to those individuals who move that cooperation forward, doing gratifying job of enhancing friendship and strong relations between the two countries and two peoples.
“This summer Armenia hosted members of the French Senate’s and National Assembly’s “France-Armenia” parliamentary friendship group, while National Assembly’s delegation comprised also members of “France-Turkey” parliamentary friendship group. Together they visited Nagorno Karabakh, where they met with the leadership of the NKR and local population and saw how these people live and what the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh is in general. I am sure that they were able to give impartial assessment to the situation,” the President of Armenia said and urged the participants of the Conference to visit Nagorno Karabakh.
President Sargsyan said that he’s aware that decentralized cooperation is being conducted also with the NKR. Speaking about Azerbaijan’s counteraction to this reality, the President of Armenia said that Azerbaijan’s motives were quite apparent – they want to leave Karabakh in obscurity, they don’t want anyone to see or hear anything about Karabakh, otherwise their entire bogus story collapses. According to the President, all those who visit Nagorno Karabakh, witness success of the people of Karabakh, see what a freedom-loving people live there, see millennia-long Christian culture created by them and see people’s confidence regarding their future.