On June 29, Edward Nalbandian, Foreign Minister of Armenia, met in Yerevan with Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Federal Foreign Minister of Germany and the OSCE Chairperson-in-office.
The meeting started in a tete-a-tete format, and proceeded in the extended format with the participation of delegations.
Welcoming the guests, Edward Nalbandian stressed, that regular high-level visits create a solid basis to discuss perspectives of the development of multilayer Armenian-German relations.
The Ministers commended the dynamic development of bilateral cooperation. The interlocutors shared the view, that it derives from the mutual aspiration to further develop and deepen relations between the two friendly countries.
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Edward Nalbandian and Frank-Walter Steinmeier reflected on the process of implementation of agreements reached between the President of Armenia and Chancellor of Germany in April in Berlin.
The sides also praised the high level of the Armenian-German inter-parliamentary ties and attached importance to the cooperation established within the international parliamentary assemblies.
Edward Nalbandian mentioned that Armenia highly values the adoption of Resolution on the Armenian Genocide by German Bundestag on June 2, which complimented the Statement made by the Federal President Joachim Gauck on April 23, 2015. “By this step, Germany not only makes a remarkable contribution to the international recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide, as well as to the efforts of the international community for prevention of genocides and crimes against humanity, but also recognizes its part of responsibility for the Armenian Genocide”, said Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia.
The Ministers attached importance to the regular consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and further strengthening the cooperation within international organizations.
Ministers discussed numerous issues of bilateral agenda, including the expansion of legal framework, steps towards the development of cooperation in the fields of trade and economy, education, culture, healthcare. The sides emphasized the role of the Office of German Business Association, opened in Yerevan in April, in the advancement of bilateral trade and economic relations.
Edward Nalbandian and Frank-Walter Steinmeier discussed steps aimed at further strengthening of relations between Armenia and the European Union, and in particular, the process of negotiations over the new comprehensive agreement with the EU.
Ministers addressed issues related to the OSCE agenda. Edward Nalbandian reaffirmed Armenia’s support to the priorities of the OSCE German Chairmanship. It was mentioned that Armenia appreciates the support of the German Chairmanship to the efforts of OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs aimed at exclusively peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Edward Nalbandian also valued the activities of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, and emphasized that the Office is the only OSCE full fledged mission in the region, which yet again demonstrates Armenia’s commitment to cooperation within the OSCE.
At the end of the meeting, Edward Nalbandian and Frank-Walter Steinmeier signed an Agreement between the Republic of Armenia and the Federal Republic of Germany on Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income and Capital.
The meeting was followed by the joint press conference of Foreign Ministers Nalbandian and Steinmeier.