ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER OF ARMENIA EDWARD NALBANDIAN VISITS LEBANON

Foreign Ministry
Feb 26 2009
Armenia

On February 25, Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian who
was on a regional tour in the Middle East arrived in Beirut with an
official visit.

Upon arriving to Beirut, Minister Nalbandian left for the Presidential
palace and had a meeting with the President of Lebanon Michel Sleiman.

Welcoming the Armenian Foreign Minister, Lebanese President said
that the Lebanese nation has a special sympathy for the Armenian
nation. President Sleiman highly appreciated close friendly relations
existing between the two countries and mentioned that Armenian
community of Lebanon made its significant contribution on that.

Michel Sleiman asked to deliver his best wishes and regards to
President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan.

Edward Nalbandian handed over the Address of the Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan’s to Michel Sleiman, which contained the invitation to
visit Armenia. He mentioned that Armenia highly appreciates warm and
mutually beneficial relations with Lebanon and emphasized that Lebanon
is an Arab country with which Armenia has an Agreement on Friendship.

In the course of the meeting President Sleiman and Minister Nalbandian
exchanged views on the perspectives of development of bilateral
relations. They discussed recent developments in the Middle East and
the South Caucasus region and possibilities of settlement of existing
problems, as well as the steps aimed at the strengthening of stability
and security in Lebanon.

In Beirut Minister Nalbandian also met Nabih Berri, the Speaker of
the Parliament of Lebanon.

The Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament highly appreciated the
cooperation between the two countries in different areas and said that
the Parliament will make additional efforts for further enhancement
of relations.

The two discussed the ways of intensification of parliamentary
ties. They attached importance to the mutual visits of the
parliamentarians and the intensification of the Group of friendship
between the Parliaments.

Edward Nalbandian also met Prime Minister of Lebanon Fouad Siniora.

Lebanese Prime Minister praised friendly relations established between
the two countries and said that the Armenian community of Lebanon is
a specific bridge in the process of development of mutually beneficial
cooperation between Armenia and Lebanon.

In the course of the meeting, the two discussed the steps to be
undertaken aimed at the further development of economic relations. They
expressed satisfaction on broad legal field existing between the two
countries and mentioned that it creates good opportunities for further
development of partnership, as well as attached importance to the
intensification of activities of Armenian-Lebanese intergovernmental
commission, which held its last session in 2004.

Edward Nalbandian mentioned that in Armenia there are nearly 50
enterprises functioning with Lebanese investments and stressed the
necessity to enlarge the existing relations with new economic projects.

Prime Minister Siniora and Minister Nalbandian exchanged views on
actions to soften the consequences of the global economic crisis.

On February 25, Edward Nalbandian and Foreign Minister of Lebanon Fawzi
Salloukh had a tête-a-tête, which was followed by negotiations with
participation of delegations.

Lebanese Foreign Minister welcomed Armenian Foreign Minister and
said that exemplary relations have been established between the two
countries, which are caused by mutual sympathy, and mutual wish to
develop friendly cooperation.

Edward Nalbandian mentioned that since its independence, Armenia has
undertaken steps toward comprehensive development of relationship
with Lebanon and there are serious achievements in that direction –
high-level visits, trade-economic cooperation, cultural exchanges. By
Armenia Foreign Minister’s definition due to objective and subjective
reasons the development of Armenian-Lebanese relations has been slowed
during recent years and the aim of his visit to give a new stimulus
to the mutually beneficial cooperation.

The two also agreed restart regular consultations between the
Ministries leaded by them.

Ministers touched upon the settlement process of regional issues
and attached importance to the exclusion of the use of force as an
important guarantee of effective solution of problems.

The meeting between Foreign Ministers was followed by joint press
conference.

Edward Nalbandian and Fawzi Sallokh continued discussions during an
official dinner hosted in honor of Armenian Foreign Minister.

Within the frameworks of his official visit to Lebanon Armenian
Foreign Minister met Aram I, the Head of the Cathoilicosate of the
Great House of Cilicia. Edward Nalbandian had separate meetings with
Nerses Bedros XIX, the Patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church
and Megerdich Karageozian, President of the Union of the Armenian
Evangelical Churches in the Near East.

On February 25 in the evening, Minister Nalbandian met with the
representatives of Armenian community’s structures of Lebanon and
during the meeting answered many questions of Armenian community’s
concern.

After the meeting with the representatives of Armenian community,
Foreign Minister of Armenia left for Damascus, where on February 26
Edward Nalbandian he will have meetings with Syrian leadership.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress