YEREVAN (Combined Sources)—Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian praised Iran’s “pivotal role in the region” Wednesday, describing the Islamic Republic as a “reliable partner and country” as he held talks with visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki.
The Iranian diplomat was in the Armenian capital for a two-day visit, which officials said focused on bilateral economic ties and, in particular, the implementation of more multimillion-dollar commercial projects approved by the two governments. He was scheduled to be attending a meeting of the Armenian-Iranian Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation.
“You now that we attach great importance to the relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran. You know that we view you as a reliable partner and a country, which plays a pivotal role in the region,” Sarkisian told Mottaki, according to his press office.
“Therefore, the development and deepening of bilateral relations stems from our interests,” he said, adding that the projects discussed by Yerevan and Tehran will serve that purpose.
The Armenian leader referred to the planned construction of a pipeline to deliver Iranian petrol to Armenia, a railway linking the two neighboring nations, and a big hydro-electric station on the Arax river marking their border. The ambitious plans dominated a meeting in Yerevan of an Armenian-Iranian inter-governmental commission on economic cooperation that was chaired by Mottaki and Energy Minister Armen Movsisian. The two men sounded satisfied with its results at a joint news conference held later on Wednesday.
“It is important that we are aiming to achieve quick results during the negotiations and that the negotiations themselves are direct and transparent,” said Mottaki.
Movsisian said the two sides made further progress on all three projects but announced no dates for the start of their implementation. He said the Iranian government is ready to help Armenia finance work on the Armenian section of the would-be railway which experts say could cost as much as $2 billion. He did not elaborate, though.
Official Armenian sources said Mottaki also discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process and Armenia’s rapprochement with Turkey during his talks with Sarkisian and Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian. According to the Armenian Foreign Ministry, he welcomed Armenia’s efforts to normalize Turkish-Armenian relations.
The Foreign Ministry also said that the two men agreed that the “periodic high-level meetings and reciprocal visits” speak to “the willingness to further develop the cooperation between Armenia and Iran.”
Sarkisian was reported to again thank Iran for its “balanced” position on the Karabakh conflict. Mottaki, for his part, reiterated Tehran’s support for the conflict’s peaceful resolution. “The Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to offer any assistance Armenia and Azerbaijan in the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” he told journalists.
The Iranian minister arrived in Yerevan on Tuesday just one week after former President Robert Kocharian’s surprise visit to Tehran during which he met with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Mottaki. Kocharian’s office and the Sarkisian administration have described the trip as private.
Mottaki confirmed that he personally invited to Sarkisian’s predecessor to visit Iran. “When friends meet up, they speak about their friendship, areas of cooperation, past good memories and discuss prospects for the future,” he said of Kocharian’s talks.
I wonder if Kocharian had few vodka shots with Iranian leaders…
I would prefer Karahunj.
Well maybe the Iranians can learn a few things from Armenia… namely human rights, equality, freedom of religion, etc…
Iran is shopping. For what you say? Well, they ran out of Uranium. They didn’t come shopping for sheep as the ADL/Turkish proxy newspapers want you to believe.
This is the best opportunity for the US to recognize the Armenian Genocide so as to build trust with this little nation(for national security reasons of course) . It needs to give billions in aid, as it does to Isreal, Turkey and Greece (for national security concens, of course).
If you think the foriegn minister of Iran visited Armenia to see if they can get more sheep exports, you are naive. There is going to be more cooperation between Iran and Armenia as apparently, Iran’s so-called new friend Turkey has shown that its attempt to become a mediator has been an utter and complete defeat (very similar to Enver’s defeat against the Russians).
Or Perhaps Armen, Armenia can learn a few things from Iran instead? That is, not to be culturally, ethnically, and nationally liberal to a fault to the point which your own ethnic identity can become compromised?
Despite nearly 30 years of multi-governmental foreign pressure, the Republic of Iran has not swayed much from its own firm beliefs of how its culture, ethnic people, and nationalism should be conducted.
One can easily negatively label that as “extremism” in order to manipulate Iran’s population to serve the “global powers”, but pride in national and ethnic identity has kept Iranians from straying too far away from their ethnic identity.
Sadly, this is far more than I can say for certain groups of Diasporan “Armenians” which have become ethnic chameleons; changing their color depending on which wall they stand in front of, ultimately in the end being clueless about how to stay Armenian or maintain their identity, forming Armenian families with fellow Armenians, and their 1800 year old Apostolic Christian religious heritage . . . .
Cough* “Evangelical” Armenians, “Catholic” Armenians”, and the “Piece de Resistance” . . . intermarriage.
The Iranian people have been very good to the Armenians,from my viewpoint.If they were half as bad as U.S,turkey, and Israel make them out to be.Israel and turkey is suspect,and I believe Our foreign,U.S, is getting that way.They are so biased,you cant believe their intentions.
Hye Armen, as I see it, the Iranians are and have been the most honest and reliable neighbor to the fledgling nation of Armenian. Not just today but for many years, Armenia and Iran have
enjoyed a peaceful border – and Iran’s civilized leaderships are and have been – head and shoulders above the uncivilized Turks and Azeris specialty uses bullying and lies, lies, lies.
Manooshag
I can’t believe that inspite of Sarkissian’s speaches about fighting against corruption, he himself sends the former so called Armenian president (now a full time Gangster) to Iran. I am sure that ever hungry Kocharian now is after the money which he can embezzle from the Armenian/Iranian Railway funds. WE SHOULD STOP HIM. He does not even belong to Armenia.