Poland, Armenia strengthen bilateral ties

Deutsche Presse-Agentur
September 6, 2004, Monday

Warsaw — The presidents of Poland and Armenia vowed Monday to continue
bilateral cooperation aimed at fostering western-oriented economic
and political development in the former Soviet Caucusus republic.
Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski termed bilateral political
relations with Armenia “excellent”, following talks with Armenian
President Robert Kocharian. Asked whether Armenia’s membership of the
European Union could one day become a reality, Kwasniewski said he
was unable to “prophesize” about the prospect. However, he proposed
that as an E.U. member Poland was prepared to share its near 15 years
experience in transformation from dictatorship to democracy and from
a communist command to a capitalist market economy. Kocharian noted
that the most important task facing the southern Caucasus region
was achieving “predictable progress” in carrying out the political
and economic reforms needed to attract business and European Union
investment. Both leaders also expressed the hope that a solution
would be found to the long-standing dispute between Armenia and
neighbouring Azerbaijan over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. The
Armenian leader also vowed to send 50 soldiers including medical
personnel to join the Polish-led multi-national contingent stationed
in south-central Iraq. The contingent is unlikely to be deployed
before the end of this year. Bilateral Polish-Armenian agreements on
fighting international organised crime, as well as military, economic,
and industrial cooperation were finalized Monday in Warsaw, Poland’s
Kwasniewski confirmed. The Armenian president was due to meet with
Polish Prime Minister Marek Belka and the leaders of the upper and
lower houses of the Polish Parliament later on Monday. dpa sib bg

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress