President Sarkissian: Friendship between Armenia and Saxony-Anhalt region of Germany is based on history and culture

In the framework of his official visit to Germany, President Armen Sarkissian and Mrs. Nouneh Sarkissian left today for Magdeburg, the capital city of Saxony-Anhalt region of Germany, where he met with the President Minister of the region Reiner Haseloff.

Reiner Haseloff welcomed the President of Armenia at the entrance to his office.

President Sarkissian made an inscription in the Book of Honorary Guests.

Later, President Armen Sarkissian and President Minister of Saxony-Anhalt held a meeting with the participation of the delegations.

Reiner Haseloff welcomed the visit of the President of Armenia to the region and noted that he was aware that Armen Sarkissian had visited Magdeburg before and was glad that was hosting him as the President of Armenia.

“Our region maintains close relations with Armenia. Armenia and Saxony-Anhalt have already signed agreements on cooperation. At the Martin Luther University in Halle, there is the Mesrop center for Armenian Studies which plays an important role in these relations. The agreement to be signed today will also promote cooperation in the area of education and science,” Reiner Haseloff said.

President Sarkissian said that he was glad to be hosted in Germany, especially in this beautiful and historic region. “Germany has made a considerable input to the world culture and after each visit one takes away a small part of it.”

President noted that in 1980s, he had visited Germany as a Soviet scientist, including Magdeburg. “Armenia and Saxony-Anhalt are good friends. History and culture are the source of our friendship and dialogue, and in the future, I hope, also science. We highly value the existence of Mesrop Center here. This is our small but very important presence in Germany. I am confident that together we can do much more to deepen and expand our cooperation because there is a good base for it,” President Armen Sarkissian underscored.

Noting that the two nations stand at the historical origins of astrophysics, he invited Reiner Haseloff, who is a physicist, to visit Armenia and to see one of the first observatories in the world which has a history of over 4,000 years.

At the meeting, discussed were issues related to the broadening of cooperation in the areas of science, education, and culture.

Reiner Haseloff and sectoral ministers of the region presented programs of cooperation with Armenia. It was stated that currently there are programs of exchange for school children and students.

President Sarkissian proposed to expand student exchange programs to include also the areas of IT, mathematics, and physics. He noted that Armenia is interested in ecological problems. “Germany has excellent experience in Green science area which can be useful for our country. Armenia can also become a good partner in the area of science and research,” President Sarkissian said.

Together with Reiner Haseloff, President Sarkissian visited also the Otto von Guericke University.

Accompanied by Rector Jens Strackeljan, President Armen Sarkissian toured the sport research unit, familiarized with the lab activities where students and scientists work on the devises for the people with limited physical abilities.

In the framework of the visit, the Yerevan State Medical University and Medical Department of the Otto von Guericke University signed an agreement on cooperation.

The ceremony was attended by President Armen Sarkissian and Reiner Haseloff.