22/11/2006
The President of Armenia Robert Kocharian arrives late Wednesday for a three-day state visit to Cyprus, the first since the former Soviet republic gained independence 15 years ago.
The visit also coincides with the run-up to Turkey’s EU accession hopes and the obstacles that Ankara is facing, primarily with its denial of the genocide of the Armenians in 1915 and refusal to comply with EU protocols to allow the entry of Cypriot vessels at its ports and airports.
The Armenian President, accompanied by Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian and a 30-member delegation, will be welcomed at Larnaca airport by Acting Foreign Minister, Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment Photis Photiou and will begin his official programme on Thursday, with a meeting with President Tassos Papadopoulos at the Presidential Palace.
The official talks will include an agreement on co-operation in combating organized and other forms of crime that will be signed by Cyprus Minister of Justice and Public Order Sophocles Sophocleous and the Minister of Justice of Armenia Davit Harutyunyan.
Kocharian will later meet House President Demetris Christofias, while Foreign Minister George Lillikas will host a lunch in honour of the President of Armenia. After that Kocharian will meet with Archbishop Chrysostomos II and the day will ebd with a state banquet will be hosted by President Papadopoulos.
Ambassador Vahram Kazhoyan said that though a visit had been planned during President Clerides’ administration, this did not materialise. This visit was finalised when the two state leaders met at the events marking the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II in Moscow last year.
Central Bank Chairman Tigran Sargsyan is also expected to have meeting with officials at the Central Bank of Cyprus, while Deputy Culture Minister Gagik Gyurjian will sign a memorandum of cooperation that renews a bilateral education and culture programme for the years 2006-2008.
On Friday, Kocharian will visit Nicosia Town Hall where he will meet with the Mayor of Nicosia Michalakis Zampelas who will present the Armenian president with the golden key to the city and will accompany him to a visit to the old part of town and the cease-fire line.
Later on, Kocharian and his delegation will visit the Nareg Armenian elementary school in Nicosia and meet with the Armenian Archbishop and members of the community.
In the afternoon he will lay the foundation stone of the monument to commemorate the survivors of the Armenian genocide at the Larnaca Promenade.
He leaves on Saturday morning.
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