22.6.2011

WELCOME BY MR MEVLÜT ÇAVUŞOĞLU,

TO MR SERZH SARGSYAN, PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA

STRASBOURG, Wednesday 22 June 2011, 12 noon

Dear President, it is an honour and a pleasure to welcome you to this chamber. Besides your experience as Head of State since 2008, I wish to also mention your extensive career in parliament and, above all, in government, as a former Prime Minister and prior to that, successively, as Minister of Defence, Interior and National Security, Chief of Staff of the President and Secretary of the National Security Council led by the President.

Dear President, you took office under very difficult circumstances in your country following the 2008 presidential elections. Since then, you have taken several important steps, including the declaration of two general amnesties, in order to overcome the political crisis and to contribute towards dialogue and reconciliation in the country.

These steps have resulted in the fact that the political stalemate in your country has generally been overcome and the political environment normalised. A new dialogue between all political forces has now started and it offers great opportunities for the further democratic consolidation of Armenia.

We hope that the same constructive approach will be used to strengthen dialogue at a regional level in order to solve lingering conflicts and promote greater stability and cooperation in the region.

Since your election, you have always attached great importance to co-operation with the Council of Europe in general and with the Assembly in particular. This willingness to engage in a dialogue is truly appreciated by our Assembly. I therefore take the opportunity to assure you that we very much look forward to continuing our contacts with the Armenian Parliament and Armenian authorities in the same positive spirit.