On August 30, the Annual Conference of MFA Apparatus and Heads of Diplomatic Service Abroad visited Gyumri. 

Within the framework of the visit, the panel meeting-discussion of the heads of diplomatic service with Marzpets and heads of communities, initiated by Suren Papikyan, Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures and Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, was held in Gyumri’s “Emily Aregak” center. During the meeting Ministers, Suren Papikyan and Zohrab Mnatsakanyan delivered welcoming remarks.

Commending the first meeting in such a format, Minister Mnatsakanyan reiterated the readiness of the Foreign Ministry to enrich the knowledge and information regarding community development. “I would like to thank you, Mr. Papikyan, Mr. Balasanyan, Mr. Petrosyan for your hospitality. I am very grateful that the Marzpets for responding and taking part in this dialogue.

It has an important and practical meaning for me. We often speak about and emphasize a very important principle in our discussions: our work has practical importance to use the best our foreign relations to our country's domestic agenda, our country's priorities, and the best implementation of our Government's program. I am very grateful, Mr. Papikian, for very brief and very targeted remarks, for building this clear understanding about our domestic priorities for territorial development, for the development of our regions, and their strategic importance for our country."

The Foreign Minister expressed hope that each Ambassador is already taking practical steps towards localizing this common knowledge in both bilateral and multilateral relations to achieve practical results. "While organizing this Ambassadorial meeting we paid attention to it, in order to further enhance the applicability of our work for our country's development agenda and to serve that purpose in the best way. Thank you once again for your hospitality, and I look forward to the dialogue we will have and the programs to be presented to us and the heads of our diplomatic missions," the Foreign Minister concluded.

Minister Papikyan presented to the participants the priorities of the Government aimed at balanced territorial development of Armenia and emphasized that in order to have equal development of the regions and communities, it is necessary to identify the right targets and the relevant working style.

Samvel Balasanyan, the Mayor of Gyumri, also delivered welcoming remarks highlighting the importance of holding this event in the city of Gyumri and expressed hope that the heads of diplomatic service of Armenia will also contribute to the development of the marz and city of Gyumri.

At the meeting, the regional officials shared with the heads of diplomatic service the development plans of their regions and the vision of cooperation with the administrative-territorial units of other countries. Participants exchanged views on further steps.

Within the framework of the visit to Gyumri, the Annual Conference of MFA Apparatus and Heads of Diplomatic Service Аbroad laid a wreath and flowers to the monument commemorating the innocent victims of the earthquake in the courtyard of the Holy Saviour's Church.