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As part of his state visit to Czech Republic, President Serzh Sargsyan met with President of the Senate Milan Stech, the presidential press service reports. 

During the working dinner held in honor of the RA President, President Serzh Sargsyan and Milan Stech toasted speaking about the Armenian-Czech interstate relations, great role of parliamentary level cooperation development in those relations, Czech and Armenian people friendship, decentralized cooperation in various areas: scientific, cultural, trade, also the two countries’ cooperation in international structures and other parliamentary assemblies and a number of issues of mutual interest.

At the beginning of the meeting, President of the Senate Milan Stech noted that Czech Republic wishes to strengthen and deepen bilateral ties of the two countries underlining that Armenian-Czech interstate relations are amicable. President of the Senate spoke about Armenian-Czech people historical generalities, many difficulties and challenges overcome over the centuries; he underscored that Armenia still continues to live in a complicated region. On behalf of his country, President of the Senate gave confidence that Czech Republic wants all problems to be solved in a peaceful and civilized way, as Czech Republic did it in its time. He noted that economic development of the country is the important pledge for peace and Czech Republic is ready to expand and strengthen relations with Armenia in favor of Armenia and its people. In particular, he stressed the importance of cooperation development in traditional areas such as food industry, energy, culture, science and cooperation between the two Parliaments.

Expressing gratitude for a warm reception, President Serzh Sargsyan expressed confidence that his first state visit in Armenian-Czech relationship history will foster bilateral relations. The President expressed with satisfaction that relations between Armenia and Czech Republic during four-five years develop in all areas, which, in his convincement, stems from the two countries’ and peoples’ interest. The President noted with satisfaction about the opening of Embassies in two countries, stated that political dialogue was activated and high-level visits became more frequent in recent period. President Serzh Sargsyan spoke about Armenian-Czech cultural days held in Yerevan this year and in Prague in 2015 and considered it important step for cultural development between the two countries.
Speaking about insufficient indicators of Armenia and Czech Republics trade circulation volume, President Serzh Sargsyan stated with satisfaction that in spite of it, trade circulation volume in 2013 has increased by 40 percent compared with 2012.

At the end of the meeting, President Serzh Sargsyan expressed a wish that parliamentary cooperation of Armenia and Czech Republic continued to develop in the spirit of strengthened friendship and continuous progress in favor of the two countries’ and peoples’ empowerment.

After the meeting held in Senate, President Serzh Sargsyan visited Prague Municipality where he held meeting with Prague Mayor Tomas Hudecek. President of Armenia made a note in Honorable Visitors Book of Prague and got the key to the city from Prague Mayor as a sign of the two countries’ and peoples’ friendship.
In his welcoming address, Prague Mayor noted in detail about Armenian-Czech peoples’ centuries-old friendship, historical and cultural connections, speaking about Armenian trace in Prague. Mayor Tomas Hudecek stressed the importance of decentralized cooperation development.

In response to Prague Mayor Address, President Serzh Sargsyan noted that it is a great pleasure for him to visit Prague Municipality in the framework of his state visit to Czech Republic. He said that his first visit at presidential level, full of official meetings and working discussions, develops with Armenian-Czech traditional spirit of friendship.

“I am absolutely confident that the effective meetings with the Czech leadership during my state visit will serve the aims to achieve high level of Armenian-Czech progressive relations in recent years and to develop mutually beneficial and multifaceted cooperation.

Indeed, I am pleased to be deserved with such an honor in one of the ancient capitals of Europe, beautiful Prague City Hall. In addition to being a capital of a friend country, Prague is considered to be one of the most important political, economic and cultural centers.

I once again will mention an interesting fact about Armenian trace on Prague: in XVII century, the owner of one of the cafes of Prague was Armenian named Gevorg from Damascus. Meanwhile, early in the 20th century, first carpet factory belonged to an ethnic Armenian Artin Aslanyan who lived in Prague.

Yerevan and Prague have great potential of cooperation and I hope that legal bases will be created to develop and deepen ties between our capitals.

Allow me once again to express gratitude for your warm hospitality. I look forward to meeting you in the capital of Armenia, Yerevan,” said President Serzh Sargsyan at a meeting with Prague Mayor.

In the framework of his state visit, the President of Armenia also met with Spiritual Leader of Czech Republic, Archbishop of Prague, Cardinal Dominik Duka.

At the beginning of the meeting, President of Armenia underlined that being a president of a country that first adopted Christianity as a state religion, he tries not to miss the opportunity to meet the local spiritual leaders during foreign visits. The President noted that there is a community of Catholics in Armenia and the number of Armenian Catholics spread around the world is not small. President Serzh Sargsyan is convinced that perhaps it is the reason of friendly ties establishment between Armenia and the Holy See.

During the meeting, the President of Armenia spoke about rich common heritage considering sufficient to mention only about Mechitarists in Vienna and Saint Lazarus Island in Venice from many examples.

The interlocutors stressed the importance of opportunities to strengthen and foster relations on the basis of the common heritage, noting with satisfaction that cooperation has started between the Armenian Apostolic Church, Czech Priesthood and Catholic Church.