YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–An Armenian delegation led by President Robert Kocharian arrived Friday in Yalta–Ukraine–to attend the international conference "Baltic-Black Sea Cooperation."
Kocharian plans to hold meetings with his counterparts from different countries within the framework of the conference.
Kocharian held his first such meeting with President Edward Shevardnadze of Georgia on Friday. Discussions focused on Armenia-Georgia relations and prospects of developing these relations.
The two presidents exchanged views on problems of regional concern and the ongoing processes in the region. Placing importance on next month’s official visit of the Georgian President to Armenia–Kocharian described it as a major event in interstate relations and expressed confidence that the visit would give a fresh impetus to the further development of relations.
Kocharian emphasized the importance of the upcoming meeting of the three South Caucasus states’ prime ministers due to be held in Tbilisi in the context of the establishment of stability in the region.
The Armenian president called for cooperative efforts in dealing with multiple economic problems in order to improve the general investment climate in the region–which is critical to the economies of all the three South Caucasus nations.
The Kocharian-led delegation also attended the ceremonial opening of the 7th World Children’s Chess Olympiad at the International Children’s Center of "Artek". Young Armenian chessplayers are among the participants in the Olympiad. Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma made a welcoming speech at the ceremony.