ARMENIA, POLAND INTERESED IN DEEPENING TIES

armradio.am
17.02.2009 10:42

Within the framework of the visit to Warsaw the Foreign Minister of
Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, had a meeting with the Foreign Minister
of Poland Radoslav Sikorski. The meeting of the Foreign Ministers
was followed by talks in an extended format, during which reference
was made to a broad framework of issues related to Armenian-Polish
relations, regional and international questions.

Ministers Nalbandian and Sikorski attached importance to the conduct
of systematic consultations between the Foreign Ministers of the two
countries as another format of effective cooperation.

Edward Nalbandian and Rodoslav Sikorski discussed the steps to be taken
in the direction of deepening cooperation in the fields of economy,
education and culture. In particular, the interlocutors exchanged
views on the ways of developing the trade-economic and cultural ties.

The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Poland discussed the process of
cooperation between Armenia and the European Union and the steps to be
taken in that sphere. Welcoming the Eastern Partnership proposal of the
European Union, Minister Nalbandian attached importance to the signing
of the free trade agreement and the expected simplification of the
visa regime and the possible assistance of Poland in this direction.

Edward Nalbandian presented to his Polish counterpart the latest
developments in the negotiations on Nagorno Karaba kh and the
opportunities of normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations.

The parties noted that there is no alternative to the peaceful
political settlement of the Artsakh issue.

Accepting Edward Nalabndian’s invitation, Rodoslv Sikorski said he
intedns to visit Armenia in 2009.

Following the meeting Ministers Nalbandian and Sikorski signed a
memorandum of cooperation between the Foreign Ministries of Armenia
and Poland in the field of European integration.

The meeting was followed by the joint press conference of the Foreign
Ministers.

The same day Edward Nalbandian visited the Warsaw University, where he
delivered an extended speech on Armenia’s foreign policy and answered
the questions of the faculty and students.

In response to the question about the process of settlement of the
Karabakh issue, Edward Nalbandian said that Azerbaijan’s negligence
of the provisions of the documents signed by its own leaders, the
ongoing militant statements, the arms race, the obvious violation
of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe, the attempts
to justify the possible application of force, the propagation of
national hatred not only hamper the negotiation process, but also
comprise a serious threat to regional stability and security, which
requires an adequate response from the international community.

Today Minister Nalbandian is expected to have meetings with the
President of Poland, Lech Kaczynski, Chairm an of the Sejm Bronislav
Komorovski and Chairman of Senate Bogdan Borusewicz.