YEREVAN, OCTOBER 13, ARMENPRESS. Newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Armenia Jonathan Lacôte delivered credentials to President Serzh Sargsyan on October 13.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the Armenian President’s Office, the President of the Republic congratulated the Ambassador on the appointment and wished success, hoping that Ambassador Lacôte will be able to open a new page in Armenian-French relations by his vigorous activities.

The President and the Ambassador shared the opinion that the Armenian-French privileged relations are fully consistent with the spirit of centuries-old friendship between the two peoples. Serzh Sargsyan assessed it symbolic that the newly appointed Ambassador starts his mission in Armenia in the year when Armenia and France mark the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

Photos by Mkhitar Khachatryan

Stressing that a firm political dialogue, active high level interactions and mutual visits exists between the two countries, Serzh Sargsyan highlighted the activation of trade and economic relations between Armenia and France.

The President of Armenia emphasized the role of inter-parliamentary partnership for strengthening and deepening interstate relations, documenting with satisfaction that the parliamentarians of Armenia and France effectively cooperate not only in bilateral formal, but also in the sidelines of international parliamentary organizations. The President of the Republic also highlighted the creation of the friendship group with Karabakh inside the French parliament in 2013.

During the meeting the interlocutors referred to the development prospects of Armenia-EU relations, including the preparatory works of the signing of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement in the near future in Brussels.

President Sargsyan highlighted and highly assessed the active involvement of France in the negotiation process of Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement as an OSCE Minsk Group Co-chair country.

Referring to the cooperation in the humanitarian and cultural sphere, the Armenian President and the French Ambassador assessed the summit of the International Organization of La Francophonie to be held in Armenia in 2018 an event of key importance in the sidelines of which high level delegations from the Francophonie countries will arrive in Yerevan. President Serzh Sargsyan underlined that Armenia will do everything to host the summit at a high level.