President Armen Sarkissian received the Speaker of the Parliament of Kazakhstan Dariga Nazarbaeva: Armenian-Kazakh promising relations

President Armen Sarkissian hosted today the Speaker of the Senate of the Republic of Kazakhstan Dariga Nazarbaeva who has arrived to Armenia on official visit.

Welcoming the high-level guest, President Sarkissian said in particular that the two peoples, which have a common history, lived together in the Russian Empire and during the Soviet times and today too, cooperate in the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union. “Our physical roads were pretty close because there was the Silk Road which passed through Kazakhstan and Armenia. Armenians were always present on that Road,” President Sarkissian noted. The President of Armenia highly praised the attitude of the Kazakh leadership toward the Armenian community and said that Armenians feel home in Kazakhstan which was proved also during his meetings with the community.

Dariga Nazarbaeva conveyed to President Sarkissian warm greetings and best wished from the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and said that his official visit to Armenia was scheduled for next year. “I am confident that it will open a new, more significant stage in the relations of our countries,” the Speaker of the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan said. “This year we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Agreement on Friendship and Cooperation between Kazakhstan and Armenia. We have been cooperating closely all these years and have been historically connected all that period.”

Dariga Nazarbaeva also underscored the role of the Armenian community of Kazakhstan and noted that they were active entrepreneurs, work in the area of culture, in state structures and there was a member of the Parliament who represents the Armenian community.

President Armen Sarkissian stressed the importance of a dialogue at the interparliamentary level. The Speaker of the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan in her turn noted that the interparliamentary relations were developing dynamically. The parties concurred that the prospects of cooperation were great and should be developed in different areas. Stressing the importance of economic cooperation, President Sarkissian said that the current numbers do not reflect existing potential. Among promising areas of cooperation he mentioned information and modern technologies, food safety, culture, science, stressed the importance of exchange programs for young people and cooperation of youth organizations. President Sarkissian presented a number of events to be conducted next year in the framework of the Presidential initiatives, including the Armenian Summit of Minds, STARMUS 6th international festival and noted that there were great opportunities for cooperation in that framework.

The President spoke also about the ATOM Presidential initiative which is directed at the development of modern technologies and science in Armenia. Along with other components, the project aimes to bring to Armenia major internatiolnal technological companies which will make our country a leading center of artificial intelligence and mathematical modeling. He said that would be glad to cooperate in the framework of this project also with the Kazakh companies.