PRESIDENT SERZH SARGSYAN RECEIVED THE MINISTER OF STATE AT THE FOREIGN OFFICE OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY GERNOT ERLER

President.am
March 31 2009
Armenia

Today, President Serzh Sargsyan received the Minister of State at the
Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany Gernot Erler, the
Chairman of the Germany -South Caucasus Bundestag Friendship Group,
Steffen Raikhe, and the Ambassador of Germany to Armenia Ms. Andrea
Joana-Maria Wiktorin.

The President of Armenia emphasized the importance of developing
further bilateral and multilateral relations with Germany – one of
Europe’s leading countries. Expressing gratitude for the assistance
provided to our country from the first days of our independence, Serzh
Sargsyan noted with satisfaction that in the area of cooperation for
development Germany is Armenia’s second largest donor country as well
as one of our major trading partners.

According to Gernot Erler, his visit speaks of great interest that
Germany places toward the processes taking place in the South Caucasus
region, particularly after the last August events. Stressing the
unacceptability of solving contentious issues through military means,
he said that Germany was unyieldingly against the use of force and
violence.

The President of Armenia and the high-level official of the German
Foreign Office discussed in detail the current stage of the NK
peace process, as well as the opportunities of normalizing the
Armenian-Turkish relations.

The German State Minister said that his country welcomes the meetings
between the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan and the political
dialogue between Armenia and Turkey.

The parties spoke also about the EU Eastern Partnership
initiative. President Sargsyan said that the program opens new
opportunities for cooperation, and that the Armenian side was intended
to utilize them to the greatest possible extend.

The two sides talked also about democratic reforms in Armenia.