Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian during his welcoming ceremony in Paris, France (Photo: Press Office of the Armenian President)
YEREVAN—President of Armenia Serzh Sarkisian and his Armenian delegation arrived in France on Tuesday for an official visit at the invitation of his French counterpart Francois Hollande, announced the press service of the Armenian President’s Office.
The Armenian delegation included Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, Minister of Economic Development and Investments Suren Karayan, Diaspora Minister Hranush Hakobyan, and other government officials.
Sarkisian’s official welcoming ceremony took place at the Royal Square of Dôme des Invalides, which was followed by a visited the Office International Organization of Francophonie (IOF) to meet with the Secretary General of the IOF Michaëlle Jean.
During the meeting, Jean thanked Sarkisian for visiting the office and for hosting the Francophonie summit in Armenia in 2018.
“I want to assure how much we value the Armenian model and how much we appreciate our communication with the Armenian model,” Jean stressed. The Secretary General said that Francophonie is rich in its diversity and the heritage its members bear, and the message and the vision that it’s able to transfer to other members of the Organization.
Sarkisian noted in the meeting that Armenia’s focus during its chairmanship of the IOF is development, information technologies (IT), and youth issues.
“During this period, starting from yesterday and until October 2018 we must organize events twice or three times more energetically to spread the French language and French culture,” Sarkisian said, inviting Michaëlle Jean to Armenia before the summit, who responded positively to the request.
Sarkisian during his visit will also be meeting with other top officials of France –including the Senate President Gérard Larcher, President of the National Assembly Claude Bartolone, and the Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo.
Source: Asbarez
Link: Sarkisian Arrives in Paris for Official Visit