CHARLES GHISLAIN: BELGIUM HAS ALWAYS HAD SENSITIVE APPROACH TO ARMENIA AND ARMENIANS

Noyan Tapan
Feb 26 2007

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 26, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA National Assembly Speaker
Tigran Torosian on February 23 received the newly appointed Belgian
Ambassador to Armenia Charles Ghislain. "I am convinced that your
activities will be useful for further development of relations between
the two countries and we will have more active interparliamentary
relations during your term of office," the NA speaker said. The
interlocutors underlined the importance of Armenian-Belgian relations
from the political and economic point of view, as well as importance
of cooperation in international organizations. T. Torosian noted
that Eurointegration is one of political priorities of Armenia: the
constitutional reform had the purpose of bringing the legislation into
line with European standards, and after the upcoming parliamentary
elections the constitutional amendments’ provisions related to the
political system will also take effect. Ch. Ghislain noted that his
aim is to promote relations between the two countries in all sheres,
particularly interparliamentary relations. In the ambassador’s words,
Belgium has always had a sensitive approach towards Armenia and the
Armenians: it is no accident that the Belgian parliament was the
first in Europe to indicate the mistake committed by Turkey in the
past, as well as to address the fact of the Armenian Genocide and the
present-day Armenia in history textbooks. The ambassador considered
promotion of economic relations and establishment of efficient links
among businessmen of the two countries as another objective of his
mission. According to the RA National Assembly PR Department, during
the meeting the sides also spoke about the upcoming parliamentary
elections, attaching importance to their holding in accordance with
international standards.