ARMENIA AND FRANCE NEED TO DEVELOP COOPERATION IN THE FIELD OF PEACEKEEPING

armradio.am
25.06.2008 12:57

On June 25 RA Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan received the Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to the Republic of Armenia
Serge Smessow.

At the beginning of the meeting the Ambassador congratulated Seyran
Ohanyan on assuming the Defense Minister’s office, expressing hope
that the bilateral cooperation will further develop during the latter’s
tenure in office.

Speaking about the gradually deepening bilateral relations, the
Minister said the centuries-old friendship between Armenia and France
has no precedent today. Seyran Ohanyan expressed confidence that
it is necessary to develop the relations especially in the field of
peacekeeping, stating that the possible participation of France in the
military exercises to be held in Armenia in autumn would contribute
to the development of cooperation between the Armed Forces of the
two countries.

Turning to the 2008 military cooperation program, the parties discussed
issues related to military medicine and teaching of languages,
expressing hope that the active communication between the two countries
will result in signing of an agreement on military cooperation.

For his part, Serge Smessow noted that he highly appreciates Armenia’s
warm attitude towards his country, stressing the high level of
bilateral relations.

At the end of the meeting that parties discussed the current state of
bilateral relations and the perspectives of deepening those. They
exchanged views on a number of issues of regional security and
stability.

Turning to the settlement of the Karabakh issue, the interlocutors
stressed the importance of its resolution in a peaceful way,
underlining that being an OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair country, France
should maintain parity in its military cooperation with Armenia
and Azerbaijan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress