At the beginning of January, the Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian was in Latin America on a working visit.

On January 1, Edward Nalbandian attended the inauguration ceremony of the newly elected Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff and conveyed the congratulatory message of the President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan to her.

On January 2, the Armenia Foreign Affairs Minister Edward Nalbandian met with Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, the newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil.

Welcoming Minister Nalbandian, the Brazilian Foreign Minister mentioned that Brazil opened its first Embassy in the South Caucasus in Yerevan which is a proof of the significance attached by his country to Armenia and Brazil is intended to develop its cooperation with Armenia. Antonio de Aguiar Patriota also expressed satisfaction with the opening of an Armenian Embassy in Brazil in 2010.

Congratulating the new Brazilian Foreign Minister on the occasion of appointment, Minister Nalbandian expressed confidence that through joint efforts the relations of Armenia with friendly Brazil will further strengthen and deepen.

Edward Nalbandian and Antonio de Aguiar Patriota had a thorough talk on the ways of expansion of bilateral cooperation. The Ministers discussed a wide range of issues relating to the organization of high-level visits, holding of political consultations, deepening of economic ties, the establishment of legal-contractual frame and intensification of cultural exchanges.

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and Brazil exchanged views on the agenda issues of international relations.

The Armenian Foreign Minister also visited the area provided by the Brazilian Government to Armenia for the establishment of the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia where the construction of the Embassy’s building will begin in the near future.

The next day, Edward Nalbandian arrived in São Paulo where he met with the heads and representatives of the organizations of the Brazilian Armenian community in the National Prelacy. In the course of meeting Edward Nalbandian presented to Hilda Diruhi Burmaian credential (Patent) of the RA Consul General to São Paulo.

During the meeting the Armenian Foreign Minister also answered a number of questions of the attendees. Edward Nalbandian laid a wreath at the memorial of the Armenian Genocide victims.
On January 4, Edward Nalbandian arrived in Argentina for a working visit.

The Armenian Foreign Minister met with his Argentine counterpart Hector Marcos Timerman. The tête-a-tête talk between the two Ministers followed by a working dinner. Edward Nalbandian reaffirmed the invitation of the President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan to the President of Argentina Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner to visit Yerevan.

The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Argentina had a detailed talk on different spheres of bilateral interaction-intensification of political dialogue, expansion of legal-contractual framework, development of economic ties and organization of cultural exchanges.

Edward Nalbandian expressed satisfaction with the opening of Argentine Embassy in Yerevan last year. The two mutually emphasized the considerable contribution of the Argentine Armenian community to the deepening of bilateral cooperation.
The two Ministers had a detailed talk on the regional and international issues.

The same day, Edward Nalbandian met with Mauricio Macri, the Mayor of Buenos Aires. During the talk, the sides touched upon the development of interaction between Yerevan and Buenos Aires.