ARMENIAN, FRENCH PRESIDENTS PRAISE BILATERAL TIES
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan,
30 Sep 06
[Presenter] Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and French President
Jacques Chirac met in the presidential residence today, accompanied
by officials of the two countries.
The sides discussed the current state of relations between Armenia
and France and the possibility of expanding economic cooperation.
They also touched on the regional issues.
[Kocharyan] I highly rate the state of our bilateral relations
given their development and essence. I especially want to note that
the economic component of our bilateral relations is becoming more
essential. There are more than 100 French companies in Armenia which
have already been involved in our infrastructure. This means that the
economic component of our relations is at the stage of qualitative
changes.
I want also to note the intensification of interparliamentary contacts
between the two countries and exchanges of delegations. More than 20
towns have status of sister towns confirmed by agreements.
This also deepens the bilateral relations between the two countries
at the level of local governments.
We also discussed the current settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict with the French president. I want, particularly, to note
that the French president is aware of this issue at the level of an
expert and has been personally involved in the settlement process.
I want to note that the Armenian community in France also plays an
important role in expanding the bilateral relations between the two
countries. [Passage omitted: Kocharyan speaks about the activity of
the Armenian diaspora in France]
[Chirac, speaking in French with Armenian voice-over] I am grateful
to President Kocharyan for his warm words. We are good friends and
know each other for a long time.
This is my first ever visit to Armenia. Armenia is a country close
to France. I express my satisfaction with the opening of the France
Square in central Yerevan.
[Passage omitted: Chirac speaks about cultural relations between the
two countries]
[Chirac] We also discussed the regional problems. It was more
interesting to me, as the president of France and a representative of a
European country, to hear both Kocharyan’s and Armenia’s views on the
region’s future. It was more important to me to hear his analysis. We
will discuss the relations between Armenia and the European Union,
as well as economic and cultural relations between Armenia and France.
I am once more grateful to the Armenian president and Armenians.