Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has hosted the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who arrived in Armenia on an official visit. First, a private meeting was held between the leaders of Armenia and Egypt, after which the negotiations continued in an expanded format.
At the beginning of the private meeting, Prime Minister Pashinyan stated: “Your Excellency Mr. President, I welcome you to the Republic of Armenia. You are the first leader of the Arab Republic of Egypt to visit the Republic of Armenia; hosting you is a great honor.
Our government and people hold very warm feelings toward the people of the Arab Republic of Egypt and toward you.
I hope that as a result of your visit, economic relations will also receive great momentum and energy. Your Excellency Mr. President, I once again welcome you to the capital of the Republic of Armenia. Welcome.”
In turn, the President of Egypt stated: “Your Excellency, dear Mr. Prime Minister, I thank you for the opportunity you have given me, for your invitation, for the warm reception and for the good hospitality in your country. I also want to express my gratitude for the rapid development that is being ensured on our part in the work of strengthening relations between the two countries.
At the leadership level between the two countries there is mutual trust; it must be noted that such trust also exists between the peoples of the two countries. This gives us the opportunity to ensure more promising development in bilateral relations. This applies equally to all spheres, whether economic or cultural. There are many opportunities for strengthening and developing multipolar and multi-sectoral relations. I am referring to the spheres of economy, mutual investments, high technologies, tourism, communications, and electric power.”
At the meeting in expanded format, Prime Minister Pashinyan noted that they had had an important conversation with the President of Egypt and discussed many issues on the bilateral and regional agenda. “Egypt is a reliable partner for us in the international arena, and allow me to express the conviction that our trust will deepen even further as a result of this historic visit of yours. Also, the warmth of our relations, I believe, demonstrates our special relations in the context of Armenia’s relations with the Arab world. Egypt is also a reliable partner for us in our relations and dialogue with the Islamic world.
These relations of ours, this warmth of ours, also demonstrates our attitude and our respect toward the Islamic world and civilization. An important practical result is also the agreement according to which we instruct our ministers to hold the next session of the intergovernmental commission for cooperation in 2023. The opportunities for developing economic cooperation that you pointed out, I said that we accept with gratitude and will certainly do everything to realize that agenda.
Your Excellency Mr. President, allow me to once again welcome you and your delegation,” noted Nikol Pashinyan.
Abdel Fattah el-Sisi noted that during the private meeting with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, the friendly atmosphere and warmth he felt speaks of only one thing: how much mutual trust and respect exists between the two countries. “Mr. Prime Minister, allow me also to say that all the points around which our discussions took place must be transformed into practical steps within a short period of time, and this must be demonstrated through the activities of the governments of our two states. The sessions of the intergovernmental commission can be convened as soon as possible and in the near term,” said the President of Egypt.
Emphasizing the effective cooperation formed between Armenia and Egypt in international organizations, the Prime Minister highly appreciated Egypt’s support to Armenia, especially in those organizations of which Armenia is not a member.
The Armenian side reaffirmed Armenia’s support to Egypt in the ongoing negotiations over a free trade agreement between the EAEU and Egypt, which offers broad opportunities for boosting bilateral trade turnover.
Highly appreciating the strong interstate ties formed over the past thirty years, the interlocutors emphasized the further deepening of cooperation in various branches of the economy, tourism, education, science and culture.
At the meeting, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan presented the steps being taken to overcome the humanitarian crisis created in Nagorno-Karabakh as a result of Azerbaijan’s illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor. The Prime Minister also emphasized the fact of Azerbaijan’s repeated violation of the statement of 9 November 2020 and stressed the importance of drawing the international community’s attention to it and of an adequate response.
Ideas were exchanged regarding the processes taking place in the region and the world.
