VALDIS ZATLERS: THERE ARE MANY POSSIBILITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT OF ARMENIAN-LATVIAN ECONOMIC COOPERATION
NOYAN TAPAN
DECEMBER 10, 2009
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 10, NOYAN TAPAN. Latvian President Valdis Zatlers,
who is in Armenia on a three-day state visit, had a tete-a-tete talk
with RA President Serzh Sargsyan on December 10. The current state and
prospects of Armenian-Latvian relations were discussed, thoughts over
a number of international and regional issues were exchanged during
the talk. A press conference was held after the negotiations of the
Presidents and the two countries’ delegations with an enlarged staff.
S. Sargsyan said that the issue of cooperation between the two states
within the framework of international organizations was also discussed
at the meeting held in a constructive atmosphere.
According to S. Sargsyan, a number of agreements signed within the
framework of Latvian President’s visit called up to promote cooperation
are evidence of partner relations’ efficiency. These are agreements
on economy, environmental protection, fighting international crime,
as well as, according to RA President’s characterization, agreement on
air communications between the two countries that had matured long ago.
He said that the Armenian-Latvian business forum being held in Yerevan
will open new prospects for development and expansion of trade and
economic relations between the two countries.
The two Presidents also discussed the issue of regional conflicts and
came to a common conclusion that conflicts should be settled without
use of force, exclusively peacefully and through negotiations, on the
basis of principles and norms of the international law. S. Sargsyan
thanked his Latvian counterpart for showing understanding and having
a balanced approach in the Nagorno Karabakh issue.
The RA President also informed the Latvian President about the
current stage of the Armenian-Turkish process. He expressed Armenia’s
readiness, according to international commitments, without the
precondition of Turkey’s recognizing the Armenian Genocide and in
reasonable time constraints, to ratify and to fulfill the protocols
on normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations. "We hope that
the Turkish side will also use this historic opportunity and will not
cast doubt on the long and hard way we passed over the past one year
and a half," S. Sargsyan said.
In his words, Armenia and Latvia also expressed a bilateral interest
to develop cooperation by the Armenia-EU format, in particular,
within the framework of the Eastern Partnership program.
According to V. Zatlers, Armenian-Latvian political relations develop
very well but it is desirable that bilateral economic relations also
develop. He said that 60 businessmen are included in the delegation
headed by him and expressed the hope that the current visit will
promote development of economic relations. According to the Latvian
President, there are many possibilites for it. "If there is success
in the economic cooperation sphere, there will be also success in
the direction of improvement of the two countries’ and peoples’
well-being," V. Zatlers said. He also stated that Latvia as a EU
member is ready to assist the Armenian side within the framework
of the Eastern Partnership program, in particular, to exchange its
experience and consultation in issues of free movement, agreement on
visa regime facilitation and free trade.