ArmInfo. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan on the eve of the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in the Swiss Confederation presented high state awards to Swiss Armenian figures Vardan Sirmakesh and Albert Poghosyan.
According to the press service of the Armenian president, after the talks with the President of Azerbaijan, which took place at the initiative of the OSCE MG co-chairs, President Serzh Sargsyan met with the representatives of the Swiss Armenian community at the Embassy of Armenia in the Swiss Confederation.
In the context of meetings with the local Armenian community, traditionally organized during foreign visits, at the meeting with the Swiss Armenian community, the head of the Republic first briefly presented the purpose of his visit, the results of the completed negotiations and the position of the Armenian side in the process of solving the NK problem, then spoke about the issues of the pan-Armenian agenda and on the work being done to strengthen Armenia-Diaspora ties, also touched upon the important contribution of the Swiss Armenian community to the development of the homeland, noting that the community, x be numerous, but has its own importance and a special place among the Armenian Diaspora communities. In the presence of the representatives of the community, Serzh Sargsyan presented high state awards to the Swiss Armenian figures Vardan Sirmakesh and Albert Poghosyan. In connection with the Independence Day, for contribution to economic development, as well as for active charitable and public activities, Vardan Sirmakes was awarded the Order of Merit for the Fatherland 1st degree, and Albert Poghosyan for strengthening ties between the Motherland and the Diaspora, active charitable and public activity - a medal "For Services to the Fatherland" of the 1st degree. The President expressed his gratitude to the Swiss Armenian figures for their patriotic activities and wished them success in all future undertakings. Recall that on the eve of the initiative of the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group in the residence of the permanent representative of Switzerland in the Geneva headquarters of the United Nations and other international organizations, negotiations between the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan were held. The meeting was attended by the Foreign Ministers of the two countries Edward Nalbandian and Elmar Mamedyarov, as well as the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group Igor Popov (Russia), Andrew Schaefer (USA), Stefan Visconti (France) and Personal Representative of the OSCE Co-Chair Andrzej Kasprzyk. After the meeting, a separate conversation took place between Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Ilham Aliyev.
The sides discussed the possibilities of advancing the negotiation process on the settlement of the Nagorno- Karabakh conflict. Following the talks, the presidents instructed to take measures to intensify the negotiation process and take additional steps to reduce tensions. The co-chairs expressed satisfaction with the direct talks that took place after a long break. They stressed that they are ready to continue the mediation work with the parties towards peaceful, through negotiations, settlement of the Nagorno- Karabakh conflict. The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan and the OSCE Minsk Group co- chairs issued a joint statement following the talks.