Czech Republic President Milos Zeman meets with Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian in Yerevan (Photo: President.am)

YEREVAN (Armenpress)—At the invitation of President Serzh Sarkisian, the President of the Czech Republic Miloš Zeman arrived to the Republic of Armenia on a state visit on June 7.

According to the press service of Republic of Armenia President’s Office, high-level Armenian-Czech negotiations took place at the Presidential Palace on June 8. After a private meeting of the two presidents, the meeting continued in the extended format with the participation of the official delegations of the two countries. At the conclusion of the negotiations, Sarkisian and Zeman signed a Joint Declaration on the Friendly Relations, Partnership, and Enhanced Cooperation.

Sarkisian and Zeman recapped the results of the meeting in the Declaration which they made at the joint press conference for the representatives of the mass media.

During a joint press conference with Sarkisian, the Czech President said Armenia and Azerbaijan can achieve peace on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.

“I recently visited Azerbaijan, and my position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict remains the same, no matter which country I am at. I have reminded the Presidents the example of Germany and France, when the two countries were at war with one another for many years, but eventually the two Presidents succeeded in signing an agreement and ending the war. Serzh Sarkisian and Ilham Aliyev are brilliant individuals, and can follow this example and achieve peace,” Zeman said.

He also added that, during his meeting with Sarkisian, a Sarkisian-Aliyev meeting was suggested to be held in the Czech Republic, taking into consideration a similar initiative already took place in 2002 and 2005.

Zeman also said he will urge the Czech Parliament to follow the German Bundestag’s example and condemn the Armenian Genocide.

“I have expressed my stance over the issue of the Armenia Genocide since 2014 during Armenian President’s visit to the Czech Republic. In the case of Nazi Germany’s victory, people of my country also could experience such sufferings, and history could repeat itself. I know that 10 EU member states have condemned the Genocide, from non-EU member states Russia and Canada did it. As a next step to this statement, I will call on the Czech Parliament to follow Germany’s example and issue such a statement,” Zeman stated after the meeting in Yerevan.

During his state visit, Zeman visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial where he laid a wreath and paid tribute to the memory of victims of the Armenian Genocide. He also planted a fir tree at the Memory Park of the Tsitsernakaberd Complex, and made an inscription in the Book of Honorary Guests of the Genocide Museum-Institute.

Afterwards, the President toured the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, writing in the guest book “With deepest respects, to the memory of the Genocide victims.”

Sarkisian and Zeman also attended the opening of the Armenian-Czech Business Forum.

From the viewpoint of deepening the trade and economic relations, the Armenian President stressed the importance of the February visit of the Czech Minister for Industry and Trade Jan Mládek and the Business Forum organized in the framework of the visit.

Sarkisian noted with satisfaction that there are nearly 20 companies with Czech capital functioning in Armenia. According to Sarkisian, the citizens of Armenia have already had to some extend discovered for themselves Czech companies such as Czech Avto, Chantan, Praha, which imports Bohemian crystal glass, and others.