Edward Nalbandian meets with a number of countries’ Foreign Ministers in New York

NOYAN TAPAN
SEPTEMBER 28, 2009
YEREVAN

NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 28, NOYAN TAPAN. RA Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian, who is in New York on a working visit, on September 26, had
meetings with the Foreign Ministers of Russia, Austria, Switzerland,
Serbia, Kazakhstan, Australia, Canada, and Iran.

A number of bilateral, regional and international issues
were discusssed at the meeting with RF Foreign Minister Sergey
Lavrov. E. Nalbandian informed his Russian counterpart of the details
of steps undertaken in the direction of normalization of relations
between Armenia and Turkey.

At the meeting with Foreign Minister of Serbia Vuk Jeremic both sides
expressed satisfaction with the recent activization of cooperation in
various spheres, which became noteable for Serbian President’s official
visit to Yerevan at RA President’s invitation. V. Jeremic thanking
Armenia for its balanced approach in the issue of Kosovo presented the
process of discussion of the issue of Kosovo at the International Court
of Justice and Serbian side’s expectations. E. Nalbandian, in his turn,
informed him about the last developments in the normalization process
of Armenian-Turkish relations and the Nagorno Karabakh settlement
negotiations.

At the meeting with Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Kanat Saudabayev
Edward Nalbandian expressed Armenia’s readiness to assist Kazakhstan’s
chairmanship in OSCE next year. The interlocutors in detail discussed
the development ways of Armenian-Kazakh cooperation, confrontation
of work at international organizations and OSCE activity.

Ways of expanding the cooperation, Armenia-European Union relations and
possibilities of the two countries’ cooperation within that framework
were discussed at E. Nalbandian’s meeting with Foreign Minister of
Austria Schpindel Eger. At S. Eger’s request the Armenian Foreign
Minister presented the normalization process of Armenian-Turkish
relations and its prospects, as well as the latest developments in
the Nagorno Karabakh settlement negotiations.

An interested discussion on practical steps and ways aimed at promoting
cooperation between Armenia and Australia took place at the meeting
with Foreign Minister of Australia Stefen Smith. The Ministers
exchanged thoughts over current problems in international relations
and a number of issues and discussed the possibility of deepening
cooperation within the framework of UN. S. Smith attached importance
to Australian Armenian community’s contribution in various spheres
of country’s life mentioning that it can be a kind of a bridge for
expanding cooperation between Armenia and Australia.

Issues regarding cooperation between Armenia and Canada at
international organizations were discussed at the meeting with
Foreign Minister of Canada Lorens Kannon. The normalization process
of Armenian-Turkish relations was also touched upon.

According to a report by the RA Foreign Ministry Press and Information
Department, the same day the Armenian Foreign Minister met with
Foreign Minister of Iran Manouchehr Mottaki. The issues on the agenda
of bilateral relations and the regional developments were touched
upon. At Iranian Foreign Minister’s request E. Nalbandian presented
the normalization process of Armenian-Turkish relations. The Iranian
Foreign Minister informed the Armenian Foreign Minister of the latest
developments of Iran’s nuclear program.

During the negotiations with the Foreign Minister of Switzerland
Micheline Calmy-Rey E. Nalbandian touched upon issues of expansion
of cooperation spheres between the two countries. He said that the
office of the Swiss diplomatic representation opened in Yerevan can
play a serious role in that issue. The Armenian Foreign Minister
thanked his Swiss counterpart for assisting the normalization process
of relations between Armenia and Turkey.