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Foreign Minister of Armenia visits Washington
Foreign Minister of Armenia has a meeting with his American counterpart
On May 5, Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian who was in
Washington on a working visit met with US Secretary of State Hilary
Clinton.
State Secretary Clinton welcomed Foreign Minister of Armenia and
stated that the USA is interested in strengthening and development of
comprehensive relations with Armenia and President Obama’s
administration is resolute to expand cooperation between the two
countries.
Minister Nalbandian thanked for the invitation to visit Washington and
emphasized that Armenia attaches importance to further strengthening
its relations with the United States, will pursue development and
deepening of friendly partnership and expansion of cooperation with
the USA.
The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and America discussed wide range of
issues regarding different areas of bilateral cooperation,
possibilities of development and expansion of economic partnership,
touched upon the session of the Armenian-American intergovernmental
commission to be held in May in Yerevan, discussed a number of
regional and international issues.
The two discussed the process of normalization of the Armenian-Turkish
relations. State Secretary Hilary Clinton classed as historic the
April 22 Statement of Foreign Ministries of Armenia and Turkey. She
reaffirmed the position of the United States to continue providing
complete assistance to normalization of the Armenian-Turkish
relations.
The latest developments in Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) peace process
were also discussed at the meeting. They touched upon the forthcoming
meeting between the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan. Secretary
Clinton emphasized the necessity of peaceful resolution of the Artsakh
issue and said that as a country Co-Chairing in the OSCE Minsk Group
the United States will continue its full support to reaching of an
agreement between the conflict sides and to problem’s solution, which
by her definition will create new opportunities for development, as
well as strengthening of stability and security in the South Caucasus
region.
Minister Nalbandian presented to State Secretary Clinton the process
of reforms implemented in Armenia and the steps undertaken towards
that direction.
Edward Nalbandian invited Hilary Clinton to visit Armenia.
The same day the Foreign Minister of Armenia met with General James
Jones, the US President’s National Security Advisor at the White
House. Armenian Foreign Minister and US President Advisor discussed
different issues of the Armenian-American cooperation, establishment
of regional security. General Jones highly assessed the participation
of Armenia in peacekeeping actions and in that context its important
contribution in the issue of providing international security. They
had a detailed talk on the process of normalization of the
Armenian-Turkish relations and possibilities of settlement of the
Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) issue. General Jones expressed support
towards the steps undertaken by the leadership of Armenia aimed at the
normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations. The two also
discussed the ways to strengthen the Armenian-American partnership.
During the meeting with Howard Berman, Chairman of the House Foreign
Affairs Committee, the Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian
presented the main directions and priorities of Armenia’s foreign
policy. The two touched upon issues concerning stability and security
in the South Caucasus region.
On May 4, Foreign Minister of Armenia visited the US Congress where he
met with Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus on the Armenian issues
Frank Pallone and Mark Kirk and members of the group Congressmen Anna
Eshoo, Steve Rothman and Scott Garett.
The Armenian Foreign Minister thanked the Congressmen for their
pro-Armenian activity of many years and highly appreciated the
activities of Congressional Caucus on the Armenian issues and the role
of the group members in enhancement of the Armenian-American
relations.
At the request of Congressmen Minister Nalbandian presented recent
development in the process of normalization of the Armenian-Turkish
relations and steps to be undertaken towards the establishment of
normal relations between the two neighbouring countries. In this
context Congressmen expressed support to the steps undertaken by the
leadership of Armenia to normalization of relations with Turkey.
At the meeting they touched upon the negotiation process on Artsakh
(Nagorno Karabakh) issue and its perspectives.
Edward Nalbandian also had a meeting with Daniel Fried, US Assistant
Secretary of State during which the ways of development of
Armenian-American relations were discussed.
In the course of the meeting with Rodney Bent, Acting Chief Executive
Officer of the Millenium Challenge Corporation Edward Nalbandian
discussed issues related to continuation of programs implemented by
Corporation in Armenia.
In Washington in Armenian Embassy Edward Nalbandain had a working
consultations with diplomats of the Armenian Embassy to the USA and
the Armenian Permanent Representation at the UN. During the
consultations main issues of the Armenian Foreign policy were
discussed and the appropriate instructions were given.
In the capital of the USA the Armenian Foreign Minister also had a
meeting with representatives of the American Armenian community.
On May 5, concluding his visit to Washington Edward Nalbandian left
for Prague where he will participate in the Eastern Partnership Summit
as a member of the delegation led by the RA President.