YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian arrived in Kuwait Saturday–as part of his Gulf tour.
During his visit–Oskanian met with Kuwait’s Emir–Sheik Jaber al-Ahmad al-Jaber as-Sabah. The Armenian official conveyed President Robert Kocharian’s greetings to the Emir. The sides discussed prospects for expanding and developing bilateral relations in various spheres.
Oskanian also briefed the official on the situation surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and Armenia’s efforts to achieve a peaceful settlement to that conflict. The two also addressed several issues of regional concern–in particular–the political situation in the Persian Gulf and the Middle East peace process.
The same day–Oskanian met with Kuwait’s vice-premier Abdela Aziz Dakhil ad-Dakhil–who is also Kuwait’s minister of foreign affairs–to exchange views on issues of international and regional concern–as well as to discuss ways of developing bilateral relations.
The Armenian foreign minister also met with Kuwait’s minister of trade & economy Hisham al-Kuteyib to discuss prospects for developing mutually advantageous trade and economic relations. During that meeting–the need to work out economic agreemen’s to serve as legal bases for further cooperation between the two countries was stressed.
Later that evening–Oskanian met with representatives of the local Armenian community.
In his remarks–Oskanian presented the situation in Armenia and spoke about his tour of the Arab countries. Oskanian also talked about preparations for the Armenia-Diaspora forum to be held in Yerevan this September and presented the objectives of this forum.
Hagop Emrazian–a member of the Armenian Youth Federation in Kuwait transcribed the question and answer session of Oskanian’s presentation.
"I believe that such visits to the Arab countries will strengthen our diplomatic relations with the Arab world," Oskanian told the crowd who discussed Armenia’s foreign policy objectives vis–vis it neighbors and the world.
"Recognition of the Genocide is on the top of our agenda and we are doing our best to achieve it," added Oskanian.
The foreign minister also addressed Diaspora-Armenia relation–further elaborating the issue of dual-citizenship for Armenia’s abroad.
"Dual citizenship has it’s own procedures and can’t be given to anyone asks for it without fulfilling certain criteria," explained Oskanian.
Following the community forum–Oskanian and his entourage headed to the church yard where he met individually with community and departed the center amid applause and praise from the Armenian community of Kuwait.