PRESIDENT SARGSYAN IN POLAND BLASTS AZERBAIJAN AND TURKEY FOR ANTI-ARMENIAN POLICIES
What follows is the address of RA President Serzh Sargsyan at
yesterday’s joint press conference with Polish President Komorowski.
Distinguished Mr. President,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am glad to be here, in the friendly Poland at the invitation of
President BronisÅ~Baw Komorowski, and I am deeply touched by the warm
Polish hospitality.
Today, we’ve held substantial and productive talks with President
Komorowski on the strengthening of bilateral cooperation, prospects
of development as well as on a number of international issues of
mutual interest. We noted with satisfaction that recent years in the
history of the Armenian-Polish interstate relations have been marked
by the upward development of bilateral ties, high-level official,
including presidential, visits and frequent contacts.
We’ve spoken about the process of implementation of the agreements
reached during the 2011 visit of the President of Poland to Armenia. I
am glad to state that we observe progress in all discussed areas
which testifies to our mutual desire and readiness to develop the
Armenian-Polish cooperation.
We concurred with President Komorowski that there has been laid a
good basis for the cooperation in the political, economic, cultural,
decentralized, military and technical, cultural and educational,
tourism and other areas of mutual interest, noting at the same time
that there is potential to expand them further. The documents signed
today prove it.
I will not conceal my admiration with Poland’s economic advancement.
Economic growth registered by Poland during the global financial and
economic crisis is impressive and instructive indeed.
Trade and economic cooperation with Poland is significant for Armenia,
however I wouldn’t call its current level satisfactory. With
this regard with attach certain hopes to the activities of the
Armenian-Polish intergovernmental commission and Armenia-Poland Trade
and Industry Chamber-Fund.
We mutually agreed on the need to strengthen the cultural relations
and as Mr. President said, we have already reached agreement on the
events to be organized next year. We have certainly discussed critical
regional and international issues. We have spoken about the prospects
of cooperation in the framework of the EU Eastern Partnership whose
co-founder, meticulous implementer and supporter is also Poland.
Unfortunately, there are still problems in our region, conditions
which impede the full realization of the opportunities provided by
the Eastern Partnership. Regrettably, for some Europe still remains
a market rather than a system of values. It is really ludicrous when
one of our neighbors, which has declared its adherence to the European
way of life, at the same time glorifies a scoundrel which committed
a revolting murder on ethnic grounds, threatens to shoot down civil
aircrafts and to deprive through a war the nation, which has been
living on its land for millennia of that right. Another neighbor
of ours – Turkey, which has also been striving to join Europe and
is a member of the EU Customs Union, since almost day one of our
independence shut down our border and refuses to maintain relations
which are but normal between the neighbors in the 21st century.
With Europe, the pivot of our negotiations is mutual accessibility
of our markets, free movement of people; however Armenia’s border
with the EU Customs Union remains under lock. We anticipate a full
and unequivocal assessment of the inadmissibility of such conduct.
I once again express thanks to Mr. President for the invitation and
warm welcome.
President Serzh Sargsyan responds to the questions raised at the
joint press conference with the President of Poland
At the joint press conference with the President of Poland, President
Serzh Sargsyan responded to the question of a journalist on what
is the attitude in Armenia toward the integration processes. Serzh
Sargsyan said, “Strategic nature of the Armenian-Russian relations
is no secret. We have been living side by side for many years and
for some considerable time – in one common state. During centuries,
good, friendly relations based on mutual respect were formed. We
are friendly nations; we have a common history and are proud of that
history. Armenia and Russia are members of the CSTO; with Russia we
have extended military-technical and deep economic relations. The
largest Armenian community resides in Russia and the members of that
community are much respected people. We have never made a step aimed
against Russia and have no complex which would compel to make such a
step. We are the nation which is a carrier of the European values and
our goal is to advance our society based on that very values. Armenia
is a country which has registered an impressive progress in the
framework of the EU Eastern Partnership. We build our work based
not on “either-or” but on “both” principle, and I don’t see any
incongruity here.”
On the question whether Poland will assist Armenia in the process
of Euro-integration, the President of Armenia responded, yes, Poland
has been and is assisting us. We need that help and assistance.
The next question directed to Serzh Sargsyan was on the importance of
the international assistance to the reforms conducted in Armenia and
prospects, particularly now when Armenia has been moved from the list
of the low-income countries to the list of the middle-income states
and thus has lost a considerable portion of international donors’
assistance.
Responding to this question, the President of Armenia underscored that
Armenia needs technical, material assistance, also in the form of
exchange of experience, etc. and anticipates such assistance. Serzh
Sargsyan spoke about the large-scale reforms undertaken in the
customs and tax structures, improvement of the business environment
and underscored that it is impossible to implement all these reforms
without substantial investments. The President spoke also about the
large-scale program to be launched on January 1, 2014 which envisages
providing competitive wages to all those employees whose salaries
are funded through the state budget and to all employees in general.
Underlining that the main burden of the reforms mentioned above
naturally rests with the Armenian authorities, President Serzh
Sargsyan, at the same time, stressed the importance of investments
and assistance to that process.