The official welcoming ceremony of the President of the Republic of France, Emmanuel Macron, who arrived in Armenia on a state visit, took place. The national anthems of Armenia and France were played during the ceremony, and then the leaders of the two countries greeted the members of the delegations. The expanded meeting between the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, and the President of the Republic of France, Emmanuel Macron, took place next.
The Prime Minister welcomed the President of the Republic of France and the delegation led by him on the occasion of their state visit to the Republic of Armenia. Nikol Pashinyan emphasized that the state visit of the French President to Armenia was a popular one, as over the past two days, Emmanuel Macron has brought great happiness to numerous citizens of the Republic of Armenia and numerous foreign guests. “They had the opportunity to communicate with you, take photos, express their love for you, and, of course, feel your love for them. And I think this is truly a new page, not only in terms of our Armenia-France relations, but also in the protocol logic of state visits and visits in general. And I want to express my gratitude, because it is obvious that with these actions, expressing the highest level of our bilateral relations, you have proven that this highest level is expressed not only at the level of state institutions, but also at the level of our peoples,” said Nikol Pashinyan, adding that what happened in the capital of Armenia in recent days will long remain in the memory of the citizens of Armenia and all of us.
According to the Prime Minister, the emotional background surrounding the state visit reflects the level of relations established between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of France. “And esteemed Mr. President, I would like to emphasize once again, using this opportunity, to express my appreciation to you for this milestone, because I, knowing this whole story from the inside, know that you are the author of the contribution that has allowed us to have such relations not only at the interstate level, but also to form such an attitude towards you among the citizens of the Republic of Armenia.”
Nikol Pashinyan emphasized that the citizens of Armenia feel great support, friendship, and love, and it is undeniable that this contribution already has its place in the history of the Republic of Armenia. “I want to express my gratitude and appreciation to you again and express my immense joy that, finally, the state visit, which was long-awaited, you know that you are always a welcome guest in the Republic of Armenia, but that visit took place now and that visit brought with it new shades, thus, I think, opening a new page in diplomatic experience and being recorded as the first state people’s visit, on which I congratulate all of us,” concluded Prime Minister Pashinyan.
Emmanuel Macron expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome. “I have already had the opportunity to note several times that this state visit is of great importance to us in itself. First of all, we are deeply impressed by the warm welcome that France has received, as well as by the success that this visit represents for Armenia, both in the context of the European Political Community Summit and the first-ever Armenia-European Union Summit. Therefore, we accompany and support this entire process, which is the result of your work and commitment, and you know that France will be by your side. I think it is extremely important to continue this process.”
The French President noted that several important agreements will be signed within the framework of this state visit, which fully align with the strategic partnership we will formulate together. “However, it is equally important that the processes beyond this continue with steady progress, especially in the areas of defense and security, where it is necessary to consolidate the achievements continuously. “This is important in terms of training, cooperation, and armaments,” said Emmanuel Macron, adding that it is equally important to strengthen cooperation in the areas of economic relations and investments.
The French President noted that new cooperation is planned in various areas in the near future, from artificial intelligence to support for the implementation of public policies. “You know how great our support is, and it has increased significantly in recent years, whether through the French Development Agency or other structures. And we want to strengthen it even more, with a greater investment logic.”
According to Emmanuel Macron, this visit simultaneously reflects the strength of relations between the two countries and the depth of ties over time, as well as the unifying friendship, the important stage they are going through, and its particular importance for Armenia. “This is a process that we accompany and in which we believe. It should also open new perspectives for the future, which is really important for us. I think I can say that Armenia is loved in France, and this love is also expressed in numerous intersecting destinies. These are human stories that can be encountered both on the streets of Yerevan and in Lyon or Marseille. In other words, we have interconnected destinies. This is also the uniqueness and richness of our bilateral relations,” the French President summed up, once again expressing gratitude for the high level of discussions, European successes, and the warm atmosphere of the state visit.
