YEREVAN, 25 NOVEMBER, ARMENPRESS. On November 24 Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian’s official visit to Sweden started.

On the same day, the negotiations between Edward Nalbandian and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Margot Walstrom took place.

Expressing gratitude for the invitation to visit Sweden and warm reception, Edward Nalbandian mentioned, that bilateral relations were significantly activated in recent years, which is expressed in the intensity of mutual visits, political dialogue, opening of Embassies in Yerevan and Stockholm, growing interest of the Swedish firms towards the economy of Armenia.

The steps toward the expansion of the Armenian-Swedish bilateral relations, Armenia-European Union cooperation, pressing international issues were on the agenda of talks between the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Sweden. In the context of regional issues discussions, Ministers exchanged thoughts over the Ukrainian crisis and the ways to resolve it.

Referring to the Armenian-Swedish bilateral relations, Minister Nalbandian noted, that Armenia is interested in the development and enhancement of cooperation with Sweden, which has an immense potential. The Ministers shared the view that the establishment of the Embassies would give a new impetus to the deepening of bilateral interactions.

Upon the request of the Swedish Foreign Minister, Edward Nalbandian presented the efforts exerted by Armenia and OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair states towards peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. In this context the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia highlighted: “Currently it is important to overcome the extremely negative situation, created immediately after the Summit in Paris, as a result of the provocative activities undertaken by Baku - the recent shooting down by the Azerbaijani armed forces of the helicopter of Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army during a training flight, which took the lives of the crew members.

Edward Nalbandian invited Margot Walstrom to visit Armenia.

On the same day the official opening ceremony of the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia to the Kingdom of Sweden took place at the historic Palace of Nobility (Riddarhuset) in Stockholm. The event was attended by senior representatives of the Swedish Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PMs of Rikstag, Ambassadors accredited in Stockholm, public figures, representatives of the Armenian community in Sweden.

Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian and Minister for Strategic Development of Sweden Kristina Persson delivered speeches at the opening ceremony.

In his speech, referring to the past and present of the Armenian-Swedish relations Edward Nalbandian said:

As we raise the flag of Armenia in the beautiful capital of the Kingdom of Sweden to mark the official opening of the Armenian Embassy, we also raise our ambition to elevate our bilateral relations to new level.

Despite the fact that Armenian-Swedish diplomatic relations were established 22 years ago, there are numerous evidences that our peoples interacted with one another since early Middle Ages. In the 16-17th centuries the trade route connecting the East to Sweden was often called the “Armenian route” due to the activities by the Armenian merchants. Several diplomats, scientists of Armenian origin are known in the history of Sweden."

The Foreign Minister of Armenia underscored: “The Armenian people recall the friend of the Armenian people Alma Johansson and many other Swedish missionaries, who extended a hand of help to the survivors of the Armenian Genocide committed in the Ottoman Empire. In this context, I would like once again to express our gratitude to the Parliament of Sweden, Rikstag, for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide in 2010.”

Minister Nalbandian also attached importance to the role of the Armenian community in Sweden as a bridge connecting Armenia and Sweden.

On the occasion of the opening of the Embassy the royal decree of 1780 to ennoble Ignatius d'Ohsson Muradjanyan, Swedish diplomat of an Armenian origin, as well as other historic documents from the archive of the Palace of Nobility were exposed at the exhibition.

During the ceremony an Armenian string quartet performed works by Armenian and Swedish composers.

Besides the political agenda Minister Nalbandian’s visit had an economic component. Edward Nalbandian met the representatives of companies in the fields of banking, energy, IT, communication, healthcare, and food industry, presented investment opportunities in Armenia, projects on economic development implemented by the Government. The representatives of business cycle of Sweden mentioned the long-term projects on the cooperation and activities implemented by their firms in Armenia. The capabilities of the Armenian-Swedish business forums, as well as organization of mutual visits by responsible representatives were discussed.

In the evening of the 24th of November Edward Nalbandian met the representatives of the Armenian community of Sweden in the Embassy of Armenia. During the warm and cordial meeting Minister Nalbandian presented the foreign policy of the Republic of Armenia, efforts exerted towards the peaceful settlement of the NK issue, the process of Armenia joining the Eurasian Union, European Union-Armenia cooperation, and answered numerous questions by the attendees.