site.bta President Plevneliev: "We Encourage Armenia's Cooperation Process with EU"

President Plevneliev: "We Encourage Armenia's Cooperation Process with EU"

Sofia, January 15 (BTA) - Bulgaria is ready to be Armenia's partner in deepening her relations with the European Union, President Rosen Plevneliev said on Friday during his meeting with Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, who is paying an official visit here, Plevneliev's Press Secretariat reported.

"We encourage Armenia's process of cooperation with the EU and hope that the negotiations of the framework agreement with the EU will conclude successfully," Plevneliev said. "We are working for a strong Europe, in which borders are lifted and not moved," the Bulgarian President added.

Plevneliev and Nalbandian have outlined the perspectives for deepening bilateral relations. The well integrated Armenian diaspora in Bulgaria and the cultural similarities between the two peoples were noted as a prerequisite for broadening bilateral cooperation. Bilateral trade for the period between January and September of 2015 stood at close to 20 million US dollars, which is much less than the possibilities for trade and economic cooperation, President Plevneliev said. The two have listed the ICT sector, agriculture, food and pharmaceutical manufacturing as areas that have potential for deepening cooperation.

Minister Nalbandian thanked for Bulgaria's readiness to offer assistance for deepening Armenian-EU relations, as well as this country's balanced position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Plevneliev voiced his belief that conflicts must be resolved peacefully, through dialogue and negotiations. "I believe that peace depends on the rule of law and the observation of rules and international agreements by all sides. The use of weapons is just proof of a lack of arguments, what is needed is dialogue," the Bulgarian Head of State is quoted as saying.

Minister Nalbandian also conferred with Parliament Chair Tsetska Tsacheva. The two discussed opportunities for deepening relations between the two countries' parliaments, the National Assembly's Press Centre reported. 

Tsacheva noted the existence of traditionally good relations between the Bulgarian and Armenian people, the cultural and historical ties and closeness. She said that this constitutes a huge potential for developing bilateral cooperation in various fields, while the two countries' politicians should contribute to its utilization. Tsacheva has renewed an invitation to her Armenian counterpart for a visit to this country by this year's end.

Minister Nalbandian underscored the importance of developing interparliamentary contacts, because they would help activate bilateral relations.

Among the topics discussed during the meeting were also the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the mass extermination of the Armenian people in the Ottoman Empire, cooperation between representatives of the two countries in different international organizations, the resolving of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through peace negotiations.

While in Parliament, Minister Edward Nalbandian also conferred with members of the Bulgaria-Armenia Friendship Group.