Public Television of Armenia
May 22 2009
Armenian, Croatian presidents discuss development of ties
[Presenter-read report] Armenia sees extensive prospects for
developing bilateral and multilateral cooperation with Croatia,
President [Serzh] Sargsyan has said at a meeting with Croatian
President Stjepan Mesic, who has arrived on an official visit to our
country. An official welcome ceremony for the high-ranking guest took
place at the presidential residence today, and the two presidents had
a tete-a-tete meeting afterwards. Mesic said that he had faced a
friendly and warm welcome from the first minutes upon arriving in our
country and invited Serzh Sargsyan on an official visit to
Croatia. Presidents Sargsyan and Mesic also informed journalists about
agreements on the present and future projects of Armenian-Croatian
relations.
[Correspondent speaking over video of a welcome ceremony] The Croatian
president is for the first time in Armenia, on an official visit. This
is the first meeting in the history of the two countries at the
highest level. Armenia attaches importance to the further development
of relations in the political, economic and cultural spheres with the
country which is the candidate country to the European Union, and also
considers it necessary to fill in the legislative framework. An
official ceremony of welcoming the top official took place at the
presidential residence. The Armenian and Croatian presidents discussed
the current state and the prospects for Armenian-Croatian relations
first at a tete-a-tete meeting and later in an expanded meeting. The
presidents spoke about similarities of civilizations of the Armenian
and Croatian peoples, which have history of millenniums, and
similarities of challenges, which the two peoples have faced during
their history.
[President Sargsyan speaking at the meeting] In fact, this visit is
the first visit in the history of our countries and I consider that
with this we initiate the beginning of good relations and the process
of developing our relations.
[Mesic speaking with Armenian voice-over] I am grateful for the
invitation to visit Armenia, I am content with the result of the
negotiations. Part of Croatia, like Armenia, was under Turkish yoke
for long years, and to some extent, it was part of the state against
the will of its people.
[Correspondent speaking over video of meetings; over video of signing
an agreement] Armenia and Croatia see prospects for developing
bilateral and multilateral relations. The official visit of President
Mesic to Armenia is viewed as a clear stimulus for business circles of
the two countries to boost contacts and trade and economic
activities. The Croatian leader stressed that his country is open to
cooperation and is interested in the market of countries located
geographically far from Europe and that Croatia, for its part, can
help these countries represent their products in the European market.
An agreement on excluding double income and property taxation and
prevention of tax evasion has been signed between the Armenian and
Croatian governments. Also agreements on cultural, education and
scientific cooperation have been signed. The EU candidate country is
in turn interested in developing ties with Armenia, which are included
in the EU Neighbourhood and Eastern Partnership. The Armenian and
Croatian presidents believe that regional conflicts should be settled
in an exclusively peaceful way via negotiations. Sargsyan denied
speculations about that Armenia has toughened its positions on the
Karabakh settlement.
[Sargsyan] I do not believe that the Republic of Armenia has toughened
its positions in the talks with Azerbaijan [on the Karabakh conflict
settlement]. This is not our position. As you know, the major issue in
the Karabakh conflict settlement is Karabakh’s status. If Armenia
raises these issues more clearly, expecting answers to them, it yet
does not mean that we have toughened our positions.
[Correspondent speaking over video of a briefing] Sargsyan said that
Armenia is ready to continue negotiations and added that his another
meeting with the Azerbaijani president is planned to be held in St
Petersburg in June.
There are no issues that cannot be solved, the Croatian president
believes. By citing Kosovo’s example, Mesic emphasized that time is
coming when the solution of the issue of status becomes inevitable.
[Mesic speaking in Croatian with Armenian voice-over] Serbia did not
have further capacity to use its rule over Kosovo and to hold
negotiations. So the issue of Kosovo’s status had to be solved. Kosovo
declared its independence, a new situation emerged and we accepted
this situation. I believe it is possible to settle the Karabakh issue
and this should be done exceptionally via negotiations. The military
way of conflict settlement is fraught with unpredictable consequences,
which lead to a deadlock. It is better to hold talks for 10 years than
to be at war for 10 days.
[Corespondent] Sargsyan told his Croatian counterpart that
Armenian-Azerbaijani relations have nothing to do with the
Armenian-Turkish talks and are different from each other. He said the
solution of complicated problems required great efforts and going
through a complicated path.
[Sargsyan] It is obvious that there are optimists and pessimists both
in Armenia and Turkey and other countries who, not having full
information [about the negotiations], can emotionally express their
happiness or dissatisfaction, their optimism or pessimism. So I was
not inspired by statements of optimists in the beginning, and now I am
also not inspired by statements of pessimists. I believe that Turkey
still continues to have a great opportunity to prove to the
international community and Armenian citizens that it is a modern
country, guided by contemporary principles, and I think it is still
early to make conclusions.
[Correspondent speaking over video of the meeting] Mesic’s three-day
official visit was a familiarization one; the invitation for a
reciprocal visit has been already made. President Sargsyan gladly
accepted President Mesic’s invitation to go on an official visit to
Croatia and said he is sure that the visit will be paid this year and
will contribute to the development of political and economic ties
between the two countries.