YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. President of Moldova Igor Dodon arrived in Armenia on official visit on November 9 at the invitation of President Serzh Sargsyan, press service of the Armenian President’s Office told Armenpress.

Moldova’s President Igor Dodon and First Lady Galina Dodon were welcomed by President Serzh Sargsyan and First Lady Rita Sargsyan at the Presidential Palace. The official welcoming ceremony was followed by a private meeting of Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Igor Dodon.

Welcoming his Moldovan counterpart in Armenia, President Sargsyan said the Moldovan President is a desirable guest in Armenia and highly appreciated his official visit which is taking place in the 25th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

“This is a very good chance to analyze the work we have carried out over the past 25 years and outline the prospects. The ties between our peoples exist not for a century, that’s why our inter-state relations are built on a very firm base. I am just convinced that your visit will be a very good impetus for boosting our relations. We are interested in this. We are interested in close cooperation at all spheres, political, economic, humanitarian. We have no restriction for mutual cooperation both at bilateral and multilateral formats. Welcome in Armenia. I am very happy that you are in Yerevan. This is your first official visit, and I hope such visits will take place every year”, Serzh Sargsyan said.

The Moldovan President thanked for the invitation and considered his visit historical, taking into account that this is the first visit of Moldovan President to Armenia over the past 25 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties.

“During this period no working and official visit was held, therefore, I made a decision to visit Armenia taking into account our common historical ties, interests both within the CIS and new integration programs in the CIS. We, of course, pay a great attention to this visit. Yes, we have signed many agreements over the last 25 years. We have 15 agrements, and 7 more are being prepared at the moment. We need to talk, there are certain results and, of course, prospects. We are interested, and I hope for thoroughly discussing with you the experience of your activity within the EAEU. I know that you are going to sign a partnership agreement with the European Union soon. I think that countries, like Armenia and Moldova, are doomed to having good relations with all, the West and the East. For us, for Moldova, your experience both being in the EAEU and signing the agreement with EU is relevant.

I would like to thank you for supporting our position on becoming an EAEU observer. It’s not the first time we talk on this occasion. That’s why I am convinced that we will work together on this path.

You know that there is an Armenian community in Moldova with which are cooperating well.

I want to thank you that for the first time a very important step took place for deepening the bilateral relations, I mean the opening of Armenian Embassy in Chișinău in late 2016. And this year we have started actively cooperating with the Ambassador whom you appointed to Moldova. All this shows that we enter a new level of bilateral relations”, the Moldovan President said.