Friday, March 3 2017 12:09

ArmInfo. On the occasion of  Diplomat's Day, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan visited the  Ministry of Foreign Affairs and met with the staff of the Ministry,  Heads of Armenia's representations and consular offices abroad.  

The press office of the President of Armenia reports that Serzh  Sargsyan congratulated once again the participants of the meeting on  the occasion of their professional holiday. Then, in his address he  spoke in detail about the road Armenia has travelled since her  independence, achievements in the area of foreign policy,  difficulties that have been overcome, priorities and challenges of  the foreign policy. The President of Armenia tasked the diplomats on  a number of issues aimed at Armenia's proper representation in the  host countries and international organizations, spoke about the  issues which our diplomats face today, and gave corresponding  instructions.  

"Many probably think that diplomats are living the life of  privileges. As privileged as the diplomatic service is, it is also  full of responsibilities while the privileges were defined not for a  posh life but for the effective protection of the interests of the  country.  Your mission is to present Armenia decently to the world as  a peaceful, democratic country, open for a dialogue, a country, which  is building a contemporary and viable economic system," said the  President of Armenia.    He also spoke about the nuances of the diplomatic service and noted  that the service is often conducted behind the closed doors, however  the most secrete negotiations often have public manifestations,  results, and consequences. "Preserving secretiveness stemming from  this work, Armenia's diplomatic activities should at the same time be  comprehensible for our public. The logic behind the taken steps  should be consistently presented to our people without shunning from  the voiced criticism. Your words, your message should be clear-cut,  should be comprehensible, and should inspire confidence," said Serzh  Sargsyan.  In his address, President Sargsyan spoke also about the NK  conflict, issues faced by the RA diplomatic service abroad and in  different international settings, about Azerbaijan's destructive  policy, about countering the steps aimed at escalating tension in the  region.    "Yerevan and Stepanakert want no war, while Baku has been speaking  nonstop at the highest level about war, advertising it and making  heroes of the soldiers whose "heroic deeds" long ago were declared  war crimes. Should Azerbaijan carry on in the same spirit, it will  receive a corresponding response, just as it received days ago at the  line of contact during yet another attempt of diversionary  infiltration and suffered serious losses. If needed, we will not  hesitate even for a second to use every means available in our  arsenal to ensure the security of the people of Artsakh. Today, the  Armenian troops, which stand firmly on their land and know exactly  what they are fighting for, is the main containment factor against a  large-scale war in the region." Noting that in twenty-five years  Armenia has been able to form a pretty substantial and positive  agenda, President Sargsyan noted that our country invests its  experience and efforts in making audible the issues of all-human  significance and makes her contribution to their resolution by the  international community.  "As a nation which survived the Genocide,  we must always be the frontrunners in the international struggle for  the prevention of the crimes against humanity. Thanks to your  consistent steps, the UN Human Rights Council in 2015 adopted  unanimously the resolution introduced by Armenia on the prevention of  genocides, while at the 69th session of the General Assembly,  December 9 was declared the Day of Remembrance of Victims of All  Genocides. Huge efforts were made in this area, especially in the  framework of the events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the  Armenian Genocide." Highlighting among the most impressive  achievements of the Armenian diplomacy the decision to conduct in  2018 the Summit of the International Organization of Francophonie in  Armenia, the President assessed it as a results of our proactive  diplomacy as well as a manifestation of trust and solidarity with our  country on behalf of over 80 member states.  "I am confident that  through the coordination activities of the state commission and your  efforts, we will do our best to host that event at the highest  possible level, ensuring its great resonance. This Summit will be one  of the most representative events hosted in Armenia since our  independence. It will also promote the reputation of our country and  will make our culture more recognizable. It will provide excellent  opportunities to establish close partnership with different countries  in which we are not represented," said President Sargsyan.    Noting that last year steps were taken to put one of the main  directions of the Armenian diplomacy - economic diplomacy - on the  institutional base, Serzh Sargsyan urged the Armenian diplomats to  undertake active efforts abroad aimed at making Armenia more  attractive for investments, presenting our competitive advantages,  provide the corresponding circles with the information on probable  business projects in Armenia, at opening new markets for products and  service made in Armenia.   The President stressed also the importance of duly presenting abroad  Armenia's opportunities in the area of tourism, anticipating active  work on this direction. "In the recent period, we have liberalized or  facilitated our visa regime with a number of countries. This should  have its positive impact on the development of this area. We expect  concrete and tangible results from the ambassadors. I would also like  to add that we have designated a special staff member, defined the  responsibilities of the Deputy Foreign Minister in this area and now  expect that the ambassadors will be given certain criteria of the  economic activities and then, at least once a year, we will recap,  will see what has been done in practice and what are the results,"  said the President of Armenia.  In conclusion, President Sargsyan  underscored once again that in the end of the day, all participants  of the meeting should constantly hold in the center of their  attention the citizen of Armenia. "In the passport issued to the  citizen of Armenia it is stated that the holder is under the  protection of the Republic of Armenia and the citizens of Armenia  abroad should feel that their country is behind these words with all  its services and capabilities. And one of your priorities is also the  protection abroad of the Armenian identity and cultural heritage,  support for the initiatives aimed at the strengthening of the  Armenia-Spyurk relations.  In general, we need to enroot among us the  culture of working together and promote the implementation of the  tasks facing each of us because our joint efforts should be directed  at making Armenia prosperous for one simple reason: Armenia is our  Fatherland. There is no other Fatherland and we will bequeath this  Fatherland to our future generations. There is no other formula for  eternal existence. Those, who don't understand this formula, remain  at the sidelines of history," stressed the President of Armenia.