BULGARIAN, ARMENIAN PRESIDENTS DISCUSS POSSIBLE COOPERATION IN ENERGY SECTOR

BSANNA NEWS
Dec 11 2008
Ukraine

SOFIA, December 11. (BTA). President Georgi Purvanov and his Armenian
counterpart Serzh Sargsyan discussed possibilities for cooperation
in the energy sector. This emerged at a joint news conference after
their one-to-one meeting and talks between theofficial delegations.

Sargsyan started his official two-day visit to Bulgaria at Purvanov’s
invitation on Wednesday.

This is the third visit here by an Armenian state leader since 1995.

Purvanov stressed that "trust" and "pragmatism" are the key words
in the active political dialogue between all institutions of the
two countries. Purvanov confirmed that Bulgaria is ready to support
Armenia’s efforts for more active dialogue with the EU in the context
of the European Neighbourhood Policy.

The two countries have good traditions in the energy sector and
have serious intentions to develop nuclear power engineering,
Purvanov said. Sargsyan added that the two countries’ power plants
are of the same type. They want to build new capacity and have good
opportunities for cooperation in the exchange of experience and in
the plants’ operation.

Purvanov and Sargsyan stressed that bilateral economic relations are
lagging behind and should be invigorated.

The two Presidents discussed ways to solve the transport problem,
which would make it possible to promote economic ties and to step
up contacts between businesses. Economic contacts have been hindered
since 1993 when the border between Armenia and Turkey was closed due
to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The Armenian President informed
Purvanov about the progress of his country’s negotiations with
Turkey. Sargsyan also talked about the process of regulation of the
conflict. He expressed satisfaction with Purvanov’s statement that
Bulgaria sticks to the EU position on the matter and is in favour of
a fair peaceful solution to the conflict.

The return of Bulgarian goods which used to be available on the
Armenian market is another area of cooperation highlighted by Sargsyan.

He presented a letter to Purvanov expressing the gratitude of the
Armenian people and State for Bulgaria’s help in the aftermath of
the devastating Spitak earthquake in 1988.

The two Presidents attended the signing of four bilateral documents:
a protocol amending the agreement on double taxation; a protocol
of intent between the two culture ministries on organizing Days of
Bulgarian Culture in Armenia in 2009 and Days of Armenian Culture
in Bulgaria in 2010; a working programme for 2009-2014 implementing
the memorandum of understanding between the Civil Service Council
of Armenia and the Bulgarian Ministry of State Administration and
Administrative Reform; and a cooperation agreement between the Armenian
National Archive and Bulgaria’s Archives State Agency.

Purvanov and Sargsyan launched into circulation a Bulgarian-Armenian
postal issue commemorating Peyo Yavorov and Andranik Ozanian, who
participated in the two countries’ national liberation movements.

Later on Wednesday the Armenian guest conferred with National Assembly
Chairman Georgi Pirinski, Parliament said in a press release. The
meeting was also attended by Chairman of the Bulgaria-Armenia
Friendship Group Roupen Krikoryan.

The participants in the meeting expressed satisfaction with the
development of two-way relations and the active dialogue between the
institutions, noting that a board base is available for ever more
active cooperation in all spheres.

Pirinski focused on the development of infrastructure and
communications in the region saying that they need to be built at
a European level. Pirinski said that this common goal of the two
countries needs committed effort for security and stability.

The relations between Bulgaria and Armenia are excellent and have deep
historical and civilizational roots, Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev
and Sargsyan noted at their meeting, quoted by the government’s
information service.

The two officials discussed the opportunities to expand two-way
economic ties where cooperation in energy and in transport and
communications projects were singled out as priority areas. The two
also discussed the opening of a regular air service between Sofia
and Yerevan.

Stanishev and Sargsyan spoke about the global financial crisis and the
measures of the two governments in mitigating the negative effects from
it. Special attention was paid to the situation in Caucasus region.