President Rüütel gave a longer interview to the Armenian TV, where he told about the possibilities to promote relations in various fields between the two countries.
The President of the Republic of Armenia Robert Kotcharian and Mrs. Bella Kotcharian hosted a dinner in honour of the President of the Republic of Estonia and Mrs. Ingrid Rüütel. In his speech at dinner, the Estonian Head of State said, "The Estonian society has reached a level that makes it possible to share the general conclusions drawn from the reform process with others. We also know that Armenia is a country where the opinion of Estonia is trusted and expected."
President Rüütel emphasized that a nation draws its vitality, energy and ambitiousness from its culture and historic experience. "We live in the time when permanent values are becoming ever more important, when people turn back towards their original national heritage and honour the factors, which strengthen one's identity. This is just a opposite tendency to what is often feared that nationalities with their distinct features and cultural differences would disappear," said the President of the Republic.
In his speech the Armenian President emphasized the Estonian-Armenian long-standing cultural ties, which in his opinion have had an impact on the development of public thinking and culture in Armenia. President Kotcharian expressed his confidence that the current visit would take the Armenian-Estonian bilateral relations to a new level.
"It is important for Armenia to establish good-neighbourly relations with all its neighbours. The conflicts taking place in Southern Caucasus hinder the natural development in the region. Mutually beneficial regional cooperation facilitates the resolving of conflicts, stable development of the region and creates significant potential for further progress. The best example of that is the cooperation between the countries of the Baltic region," said the Armenian Head of State.
President Rüütel will continue his visit tomorrow delivering a lecture in the University of Yerevan and meeting with the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians His Holiness Karekin II. The Head of State will arrive back in Estonia on Tuesday evening.
Public Relations Unit of the Office of the President
Yerevan, November 15, 2004
