SERZH SARGSYAN: TODAY ARMENIA IS A DYNAMICALLY DEVELOPING COUNTRY
armradio.am
06.11.2008 16:16
Within the framework of his visit to Brussels, the President of
Armenia Serzh Sargsyan met with representatives of the Belgian
Armenian community.
The President said in his speech that we are entering a new stage
of realization of national objectives, when we face the tasks of
development and rise.
"Today Armenia is a dynamically developing country, which has a stable
financial system and growing economy. The Armenian economy registered a
10.4% growth under the conditions of 4.2% of rise of prices during the
nine months of 2008. We managed to overcome the situations, when the
known events around South Ossetia directly affected our economy. You
know that Armenia realizes over 70% of its commodity turnover through
Georgian territory and you know how the closed roads can affect the
Armenian economy. We avoided the first and most dangerous wave of
the world financial crisis.
It’s hard to find another landlocked country in the world that would
be blockaded by two out of four of its neighbors. In these conditions
we learnt to work and ensure serious economic development. However,
it does not mean that those borders should remain closed forever
or steps should not be taken in the direction of opening those,"
the President said.
"People in this hall are well aware of the importance of international
recognition of the Armenian Genocide. The Diaspora and exactly your
community have an immediate input here. The Resolution of the European
Parliament adapted in Brussels in 1987 became a basis for further
acts symbolizing the restoration of historical justice.
My position is that by realizing the existence of the problem we should
simultaneously move forward along the path of establishing normal
relations with Turkey. Deriving from this circumstance, as President
of the Republic of Armenia I made the first symbolic step in that
direction by inviting Turkish President Abdullah Gul to Armenia. I’m
glad that the Turkish President positively responded to my invitation
and in September of the current year we had an opportunity to initiate
a process, which should result in the establishment of an atmosphere
of trust between the two countries, and this atmosphere of trust can
be created as a result of establishment of diplomatic relations without
any preconditions and diversified cooperation between countries.
In the basis of our relations with Azerbaijan we see the peaceful
resolution of the Karabakh issue based on mutual concessions, which
should guarantee the realization of the right of Karabakhi people to
self-determination. We are ready to develop the negotiation process,
taking as a basis the known principles put into circulation last
year. You probably know that just a few days ago we signed a joint
declaration with the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Russia, which,
I think, marks the start of a new, more active phase of peaceful
settlement of the Karabakh issue," Serzh Sargsyan continued.
"We should leave another Armenia to our generations, a developed,
democratic and peaceful Armenia. Saying "we" I mean the citizens of
the Republic of Armenia and all Armenians, all those who consider
Armenia their Motherland. We should work together to create that
Armenia, because we cannot leave anything more eternal and valuable
to our generations," the President noted.