Recap of Armenia-Germany ties ahead of PM Pashinyan’s official visit
09:01,
YEREVAN, JANUARY 30, ARMENPRESS. As Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is expected to pay an official visit to Germany today, ARMENPRESS has recapped the Armenian-German political and economic ties and updated statistics.
Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in January of 1992. Since then, Armenia has paid more than two dozen official visits to Germany on the presidential, prime ministerial and foreign ministerial levels. And since 1995, official visits from Germany to Armenia took place on the levels of Speaker of Parliament, Deputy PM and FM.
Angela Merkel’s visit to Armenia
German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited Armenia in August of 2018.
During an official dinner in honor of Merkel, PM Nikol Pashinyan noted that the sides had very important and productive negotiations. He expressed convictions that all agreements will be coherently and in a principled manner be fulfilled one by one, which will mean a new chapter in the relations between Armenia and Germany.
In turn, Merkel noted that the German government wants to accompany Armenia on the path of brave changes and support further developments in the country.
Chancellor Merkel reiterated support to reforms in Armenia after the December 2018 early election of parliament. The German Chancellor noted that she would be happy to once again have a meeting with PM Pashinyan in the nearest future.
Since the establishment of diplomatic ties, Armenia and Germany have signed more than 40 agreements concerning the economy, education, culture and trade. Cooperation memorandums have been signed in various sectors.
Armenia launches dialogue over visa liberalization with EU member states
The dialogue began as part of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the EU and Armenia that was signed in November 2017.
Earlier in January this year, Deputy Police Chief of Armenia Colonel Hovhannes Kocharyan visited Germany and held multiple meetings with local authorities. During the meetings the German side praised the productive cooperation on the basis of international legal documents concerning readmission, emphasizing the high level of mutual confidence and willingness to support Armenia’s expectations.
The sides also highlighted the need to specify the timeframes and circle of mutual obligations of future action plan of visa liberalization.
Economic indicators
In 2017, as well as in January-November of 2018, Germany has been the 4th main trading partner of Armenia.
According to the Ministry of Economic Development and Investments, Germany is Armenia’s leading trading partner from the EU in accordance to data from 2017 and 2018.
Trade turnover in January-November 2018 totaled 402,1 million dollars – a 38% growth compared to the previous year.
In structural terms of the mutual trade foreign trade, more products are imported from Germany than exported from Armenia.
Main Armenian exports to Germany include copper, aluminum foil, textile products and alcoholic beverages, while top customs-value imports from Germany to Armenia include passenger and cargo vehicles, pharmaceuticals, tractors, food processing equipment, printing equipment and others.
More than ten major companies with German capital operate in Armenia. The companies operate in mining, light industry, imports and sales of cars and construction materials, IT, asset management and other sectors.
Business Armenia Foundation told ARMENPRESS that Armenian-German business visits are planned in 2019.
Recognition of Armenian Genocide
On June 15, 2005, the German parliament adopted a decision about recognizing the Armenian Genocide. On April 23, 2015, then-President of Germany Joachim Gauck delivered a statement about the Armenian Genocide, and on June 2, 2016, the German parliament adopted a resolution on recognizing the Armenian Genocide.
During the 2018 visit to Armenia, Chancellor Merkel visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan with FM Zohrab Mnatsakanyan and paid tribute to the memory of the victims.
By Anna Gziryan
Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan
