RA FOREIGN MINISTER’S VISIT TO GERMANY STARTS

NOYAN TAPAN

Ju ly 1

RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, who is in Germany on an official
visit, on June 30, met with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter
Steinmeier.

During the meeting, both sides mentioned that Armenian-German relations
are warm and friendly, high-level political dialogue is established
between the two countries, cooperation develops efficiently in
bilateral and many-sided formats, a wide legal-contractual field has
been created, business contacts are expanded.

E. Nalbandian said that Armenia attaches importance to further
deepening and strengthening of many-sided cooperation with Germany as
one of the EU founding and leading countries. He assured those present
that Armenia will undertake all necessary steps in that direction. The
RA Foreign Minister expressed satisfaction that Germany is Armenia’s
second big investor and one of the main supporting countries.

As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry Press and
Information Department, the Armenian and German Foreign Ministers
touched upon issues regarding strengthening of security and stability
in the South Caucasian region. E. Nalbandian presented the latest
developments in the Nagorno Karabakh settlement negotiations, as well
as the possibilities of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations
and steps undertaken by Armenia in that direction.

The interlocutors also discussed possibilities of deepening of
cooperation in cultural and educational spheres and implementation
of joint programs. In that context E. Nalbandian said that Armenia
attaches importance to expansion of teaching German and conveyed
Armenian side’s expectation in connection with the opening of the
representation of Goethe Institute in Yerevan.

The meeting was followed by the two Ministers’ joint press conference,
at which representatives of leading German media were present.

The same day E. Nalbandian also met with Christoph Heusgen, the
General Adviser for Foreign Policy and Security of Prime Minister
Angela Merkel, Reinhard Silberberg, State Secretary of the Federal
Foreign Office, and Archbishop Wolfgang Huber, the Chairman of the
Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany.

The RA Foreign Minister met with representatives of Armenian
organizations in Germany in the evening. He presented the expectations
connected with creation of the Diaspora Committee in the Foreign
Ministry system and formation of the Ministry of Diaspora from this
October aimed at strengthening of Armenia-Diaspora contacts.