ARMENIAN, SYRIAN LEADERS DISCUSS REGIONAL ISSUES

Public Television of Armenia
June 17 2009

[Presenter] Syrian President Bashar al-Asad is paying an official visit
to Armenia. Following an official reception ceremony for the Syrian
president outside the presidential palace and a one-to-one meeting
between the Armenian and Syrian presidents today, a meeting in an
expanded format was held between members of the Syrian delegation
and Armenian officials.

A number of cooperation agreements were signed between the two
countries. Afterwards Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and his
Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Asad held a joint news conference. The
two presidents came to agreement on continuing political discussions
between the two countries based on centuries-long friendship between
the Armenian and Syrian peoples.

[Correspondent] The Syrian president is visiting Armenia for the
first time after Armenia gained its independence. Bashar al-Asad’s
father, the late Syrian president [Hafiz al-Asad] visited Armenia
in 1979 within the framework of his working visit to the [former]
Soviet Union. Syria is one of the first counties that recognized
Armenia’s independence. Relations between the two countries have been
expanded over the last 10 years. The development of relations with
the countries of the Middle East, especially with Syria, is a main
priority in Armenia’s foreign policy.

Following the official reception ceremony for the Syrian president,
the two presidents held a joint news conference.

[Sargsyan] The ancestors of the present-day Armenian diaspora
survived the genocide [mass killings of Armenians in the Ottoman
Empire in 1915] exactly at Syria’s gates. In this regard, I would
like to recall a statement made by the late Syrian president, Hafez
al-Asad, in Yerevan 30 years ago – Syria is the second motherland of
Armenians. I welcomed President Bashar al-Asad’s visit to Armenia,
assessing it as a historical visit by the friendly country’s president.

[Correspondent] Armenia is interested in developing relations with
Syria at the highest level, focusing major attention on economic
cooperation. A number of cooperation agreements have been signed
between the two countries in the economic, investment, defence and
environmental spheres.

[Passage omitted: Sargsyan speaking about the importance of developing
cooperation and good relations between the two countries]

[Corespondent] The Syrian president also noted the importance
of expanding relations between the two countries. Describing the
meeting with Sargsyan as useful, Bashar al-Asad noted the importance
of speeding up the development of bilateral relations. The presidents
also discussed problems in the Caucasus and the Middle East.

[Bashar al-Asad, speaking with Armenian voice-over] Syria is satisfied
with the steps taken towards the normalization of Armenian-Turkish
relations. We are ready to do our best to facilitate progress in these
relations. Syria has close relations with both Armenia and Turkey.

[Correspondent] Bashar al-Asad also said that he would like to learn
the opinion of the Armenian president about the Karabakh problem,
as he is going to pay a visit to Azerbaijan next month.

[Bashar al-Asad] This problem is very complicated and we wish that
it does not worsen even more, as we, based on our experience in the
Middle East, see that its solution will be more difficult.