On February 25, Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian who was on a regional tour in the Middle East arrived in Beirut with an official visit.

Upon arriving to Beirut, Minister Nalbandian left for the Presidential palace and had a meeting with the President of Lebanon Michel Sleiman.

Welcoming the Armenian Foreign Minister, Lebanese President said that the Lebanese nation has a special sympathy for the Armenian nation. President Sleiman highly appreciated close friendly relations existing between the two countries and mentioned that Armenian community of Lebanon made its significant contribution on that.

Michel Sleiman asked to deliver his best wishes and regards to President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan.

Edward Nalbandian handed over the Address of the Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s to Michel Sleiman, which contained the invitation to visit Armenia. He mentioned that Armenia highly appreciates warm and mutually beneficial relations with Lebanon and emphasized that Lebanon is an Arab country with which Armenia has an Agreement on Friendship.

In the course of the meeting President Sleiman and Minister Nalbandian exchanged views on the perspectives of development of bilateral relations. They discussed recent developments in the Middle East and the South Caucasus region and possibilities of settlement of existing problems, as well as the steps aimed at the strengthening of stability and security in Lebanon.

In Beirut Minister Nalbandian also met Nabih Berri, the Speaker of the Parliament of Lebanon.

The Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament highly appreciated the cooperation between the two countries in different areas and said that the Parliament will make additional efforts for further enhancement of relations.

The two discussed the ways of intensification of parliamentary ties. They attached importance to the mutual visits of the parliamentarians and the intensification of the Group of friendship between the Parliaments.

Edward Nalbandian also met Prime Minister of Lebanon Fouad Siniora.

Lebanese Prime Minister praised friendly relations established between the two countries and said that the Armenian community of Lebanon is a specific bridge in the process of development of mutually beneficial cooperation between Armenia and Lebanon.

In the course of the meeting, the two discussed the steps to be undertaken aimed at the further development of economic relations. They expressed satisfaction on broad legal field existing between the two countries and mentioned that it creates good opportunities for further development of partnership, as well as attached importance to the intensification of activities of Armenian-Lebanese intergovernmental commission, which held its last session in 2004.

Edward Nalbandian mentioned that in Armenia there are nearly 50 enterprises functioning with Lebanese investments and stressed the necessity to enlarge the existing relations with new economic projects.

Prime Minister Siniora and Minister Nalbandian exchanged views on actions to soften the consequences of the global economic crisis.

On February 25, Edward Nalbandian and Foreign Minister of Lebanon Fawzi Salloukh had a tête-à-tête, which was followed by negotiations with participation of delegations.

Lebanese Foreign Minister welcomed Armenian Foreign Minister and said that exemplary relations have been established between the two countries, which are caused by mutual sympathy, and mutual wish to develop friendly cooperation.

Edward Nalbandian mentioned that since its independence, Armenia has undertaken steps toward comprehensive development of relationship with Lebanon and there are serious achievements in that direction – high-level visits, trade-economic cooperation, cultural exchanges. By Armenia Foreign Minister’s definition due to objective and subjective reasons the development of Armenian-Lebanese relations has been slowed during recent years and the aim of his visit to give a new stimulus to the mutually beneficial cooperation.

The two also agreed restart regular consultations between the Ministries leaded by them.

Ministers touched upon the settlement process of regional issues and attached importance to the exclusion of the use of force as an important guarantee of effective solution of problems.

The meeting between Foreign Ministers was followed by joint press conference.

Edward Nalbandian and Fawzi Sallokh continued discussions during an official dinner hosted in honor of Armenian Foreign Minister.

Within the frameworks of his official visit to Lebanon Armenian Foreign Minister met Aram I, the Head of the Cathoilicosate of the Great House of Cilicia. Edward Nalbandian had separate meetings with Nerses Bedros XIX, the Patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church and Megerdich Karageozian, President of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East.

On February 25 in the evening, Minister Nalbandian met with the representatives of Armenian community’s structures of Lebanon and during the meeting answered many questions of Armenian community’s concern.

After the meeting with the representatives of Armenian community, Foreign Minister of Armenia left for Damascus, where on February 26 Edward Nalbandian he will have meetings with Syrian leadership.