After joining the EEU, Armenia continues to take steps aimed at developing relations with the European Union

As part of his official visit to the Italian Republic, President Serzh Sargsyan today visited the Vittoriano Museum Complex, laid a wreath at the Monument to the Unknown Soldier after which he held a meeting with Presidnet Sergio Mattarella of the Italian Republic.

Attaching importance to his meeting with Sergio Mattarella shortly after his taking the office of President of Italy, the RA President expressed the hope that it will contribute to the further broadening of mutual dialogue and the Armenian-Italian agenda. President Serzh Sargsyan expressed confidence that his busy official visit will give new impetus to the friendly relationship between Armenia and Italy.

The interlocutors expressed satisfaction with the fact that Armenian-Italian diplomatic relations, which have a bit more than a 20-year history, have been developing in the spirit of friendship and mutual understanding, marked by numerous crucial achievements. The two countries’ Presidents said that it was not an accident, underscoring that Armenian-Italian close ties are rooted in the close historical connections between the two peoples and the shared set of values.

The Presidents stressed that in recent years the cooperation between Armenia and Italy has considerably intensified both in bilateral format and in the frame of the European Union, making progress in almost all spheres of mutual interest.

In the context of ensuring sustainable development for bilateral cooperation, the parties emphasized that there is a comprehensive bilateral legal framework between the two countries which embraces more than 3 dozen legal documents.

According to the RA President, the current visit to friendly Italy in such a crucial period for the Armenian people when Armenian authorities and all Armenians are commemorating the Armenian Genocide Centennial is the best testimony of the importance our country attaches to its bilateral ties with Italy.

President Serzh Sargsyan expressed his thanks to the Italian people who saved, provide refuge to and gave new hope to the Armenian expatriates who had escaped from the Armenian Genocide - the last of them lived in Italy till the previous year. The President also expressed his gratitude to Italy for continuedly giving preference to universal values over short-lived interests, emphasizing, particularly, the unanimous recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Italian Chamber of Deputies about 15 years ago.

The Presidents also discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process. The Italian President noted that Italy is partial to a settlement of this problem exclusively through peaceful means in the frame of the OSCE Minsk Group based on the principles of peaceful conflict resolution, territorial integrity and the right to self-determination of peoples.

The Italian President expressed satisfaction with the fact that after joining the EEU, Armenia continues to take steps aimed at developing relations with the European Union and added that the membership also opens up new horizons for the development of Armenia-Italy relations.

At the meeting, the parties also stressed the importance of promoting inter-parliamentary cooperation between Armenia and Italy, as well as reflected upon Armenian-Italian trade and economic ties and Italy’s possible investments in Armenia. The two countries’ Presidents expressed satisfaction with the fact that in recent years a number of business forums and roundtables have been held and reciprocal visits of businessmen have frequently taken place. The Presidents agreed that the current achievements are inspiring but in no way reflect the true cooperation potential, and a great deal of work still needs to be done to fully utilize it.

At the meeting, the parties placed great value on promoting cooperation in tourism. In this context, they stressed the need to restore regular direct flights between Armenia and Italy – from Yerevan to Rome or other cities.

The Armenian and Italian Presidents agreed that taking into consideration the current potential in the areas of trade and economy, education, science, culture and in other areas, they could take steps to establish an Armenian-Italian intergovernmental commission which would further coordinate activities in the mentioned areas.

Talking about decentralized cooperation, the interlocutors expressed satisfaction with the fact there is also mutually beneficial cooperation between some local self-government bodies of Armenia and Italy whose start dates back to 1967 when Yerevan and Carrara were declared twin cities. This rank has been gradually filling up with new cities and regions. According to the Presidents, regular visits of Italy’s provincial and municipal delegations contribute to the establishment and broadening of direct ties and economic cooperation between regions.

The two countries’ Presidents also exchanged views on issues pertaining to the cooperation between Armenia and the European Union, the collaboration of Armenia and Italy in the frame of international organizations, as well as on the situation in the Middle East.

On behalf of Italian President Sergio Mattarella, an official dinner was held in honor of President Serzh Sargsyan who has paid an official visit to the Italian Republic.