President Serzh Sargsyan received today Dominik Cardinal Duka, Czech Primate and Archbishop of Prague.

The president welcomed the guest, who, according to the president, is one of the Armenian people’s best friends and is always a welcomed guest in Armenia. Serzh Sargsyan warmly recalled his previous meeting with Cardinal Duka and expressed satisfaction with the fact that Armenian-Czech meetings at various levels give a fresh impulse to bilateral relations, and they continue to develop dynamically.

According to Serzh Sargsyan, the opening of the Czech embassy in Armenia in pursuance of the agreement made during his meeting with President Zeman will greatly contribute to the strengthening of friendship between the Armenian and Czech peoples and to the reinforcement of relations between the two countries. “As a first country of the world to adopt Christianity as a state religion, we greatly value the broadening of spiritual ties and relations with the peoples sharing similar worldviews. Undoubtedly, the Czech people belong to that group. In that context, I attach great importance and value to your visit to Armenia,” said President Serzh Sargsyan.

At the meeting, the parties placed importance on the cooperative climate between the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Czech Catholic Church, in which, according to the president, Cardinal Duka has played an invaluable role. Armenia’s president expressed his satisfaction with the allocation of Prague’s Church of the Holy Spirit to the Gregory the Illuminator parish community of the Armenian Apostolic Church, considering that step a great event in the life of the Czech-Armenian community from the perspective of preserving their faith and identity.

“I am delighted that I have had the chance to visit Armenia, a country which was not only the first to adopt Christianity as a stat religion, but also has a rich ancient history and culture and a people which represent all of that and command high respect,” said the Czech Primate and the Archbishop of Prague.

Noting that the Czech people are well aware of the crime committed against the Armenian people at the beginning of the last century, Cardinal Dominik Duka stressed that he is confident the close relationship and collaboration between the two friendly peoples, states and churches should be also aimed at promoting peace in the world and at eliminating intolerance.