YEREVAN, JULY 9, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has held a meeting today with legendary French-Armenian footballer Youri Djorkaeff, who arrived in Yerevan for the July 8 all-star exhibition game featuring Latin American and European football stars.
“I am very happy to welcome you here in the Armenian government. I hope you know that during your entire career all Armenians were very proud of you and were willing to help you with good wishes and emotions. I am happy that you are in Armenia and I hope that your ties with Armenia will be continous and we will be able to cooperate in order for you to assist Armenian football, development of infrastructures and inspire the new generation to begin a football career,” the Armenian PM said.
Djorkaeff said that he has already been to Armenia for several times, including as part of the delegations of French Presidents Chiracand Sarkozy. “And this is very important for me, because everyone knows that I have Armenian blood. What you did recently was wonderful, indescribable, you inspired many Armenians, you changed the face of the state, you brought hope, something that didn’t exist previously. And this is a fundamentally different thing because there is a chance to do something right, and that is why I would like to ask you how can I be useful for the country. I want to make my step too. My foundation is ready to launch new projects in Armenia,” Djorkaeff said, adding that he also works with UNICEF, and is willing to assist Armenia in this capacity too.
The PM thanked the French-Armenian and welcomed his initiatives. Pashinyan expressed certainty that Djorkaeff will boost development of Armenian football with his projects.
Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan