Friday, 24 April 2015
PM Receives Lebanon Foreign Minister
Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan received Lebanese Foreign and Expatriates Minister Jibran Bassil who is heading a Lebanese delegation in attendance of the Armenian Genocide centenary commemorations. The delegation is composed of Minister of Energy and Water Artur Nazarian, Minister of Education and Higher Education Elias Bou Saab.
Hovik Abrahamyan appreciated the Lebanese delegation’s participation in the remembrance events as another evidence of the centuries-old strong friendship between the two nations.
The Head of Government highly valued the fact that Lebanon has acknowledged and condemned the Armenian Genocide and expressed gratitude for the Lebanese authorities’ warm attitude toward the Armenian community.
Thankful for the reception, the Lebanese Foreign Minister conveyed warm greetings on the part of the Prime Minister of Lebanon. Jibran Bassil said it was a point of honor for his country to attend the Genocide centenary commemorations in support of the Armenian people and in remembrance of the innocent victims.
Praising Armenia’s efforts in the prevention of genocides, the Minister stressed that Lebanon supports Armenia in this fight to rule out the recurrence of such heinous crimes.
Jibran Bassil highlighted the role of the Armenian community in his country’s political, cultural and economic life. In turn, Minister of Education and Higher Education of Lebanon Elias Bou Saab said that in connection with the Genocide centenary, April 24 had been declared a non-working day in the educational institutions of Lebanon.
During the meeting, the sides discussed prospects of cooperation between the two countries. Pleased with the current status of the political dialogue between Armenia and Lebanon, the parties stressed the need to tap the potential in the fields of trade and economy. In particular, they addressed issues related to the implementation of programs aimed at strengthening economic ties and increasing trade turnover. In this context, the importance of revitalizing the activities of the Armenian-Lebanese intergovernmental commission was emphasized on either side.
Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan offered warm greetings to his Lebanese counterpart and an invitation to visit Armenia, noting that the visit might be an excellent an opportunity to discuss promotion and expansion of economic interaction. In turn, the Lebanese Foreign Minister conveyed Prime Minister Tammam Salam’s invitation for Hovik Abrahamyan to visit Lebanon at his convenience.
