The Presidents of the Republic of Armenia and the Czech Republic made Statements to the Press

President of the Republic Vahagn Khachaturyan and President of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel made statements to representatives of the mass media.

Statement by President Vahagn Khachaturyan:

"I am pleased to be in the Czech Republic on an official visit and to meet with my esteemed counterpart, President Petr Pavel.
First and foremost, I would like to thank You, Mr. Pavel, for the invitation, the warm welcome, and Your hospitality. This visit provides a valuable opportunity to highlight the friendly relations established between our countries and to enrich them with new substance and an ambitious agenda. For more than three decades, our interstate relations have developed on the basis of mutual respect, trust, and shared values. I would like to emphasize that one of the important pillars of the development of relations between Armenia and the Czechia is our shared commitment to democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and the fundamental principles of international law.

Today, political dialogue between Armenia and Czechia is at a high level, while mutually beneficial cooperation has significant potential for further development. During our meeting, we addressed a broad bilateral agenda, ranging from political dialogue and economic cooperation to high technologies, education, science, culture, tourism, and the strengthening of people-to-people contacts.

The European dimension was a key component of our discussions. The Czech Republic is an important partner for Armenia, and we highly appreciate its support for the development of Armenia-EU relations and for the democratic and institutional reforms in our country. Armenia is interested in further deepening its relations with the European Union and is ready to continue consistent efforts in this direction. Czechia's experience and support are of great importance to us.
We attach particular importance to the dialogue between Armenia and the EU on visa liberalization. We expect the process to continue in an effective and constructive manner, contributing to greater mobility for Armenian citizens and strengthening ties between our two societies.

Considering the obstacles to the export of Armenian products to former traditional markets, I asked my counterpart for support in promoting Armenian products in the Czech Republic. Just yesterday, the Council of the European Union approved the liberalization of around 80% of exports of Armenian goods. We are grateful for this decision and hope that the European Parliament will also adopt and approve the relevant final decision. This would provide us with an opportunity to access the EU market under more favorable conditions over the next two years. These products will not disrupt the established rules of the European market. Rather, they will enrich it and allow EU partners and citizens of different countries to become better acquainted with Armenia and our products. We hope that you will appreciate the products we export, that they will become part of your everyday lives and households, and that this will enable us to further develop our economy and overcome the situation in which attempts are being made to restrict us.

Another important area of today's discussions was the further expansion of economic cooperation. In this regard, the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation plays an important role. Our goal is not only to increase trade volumes but also to qualitatively expand cooperation through joint production, investment projects, and new initiatives in areas of mutual interest. We seek to expand bilateral trade and promote Czech investment in Armenia. Today, we also discussed prospects for cooperation in the fields of energy, high technologies, and infrastructure, with both sides emphasizing the importance of regular contacts between the business communities.

We also addressed the role of parliamentary diplomacy. In recent years, contacts at the parliamentary level have made an important contribution to deepening mutual understanding between the two countries. Strengthening people-to-people relations is a key priority. Armenia and the Czech Republic have a solid legal framework for cooperation in education, culture, science, youth, and sports. We wish to further intensify student and academic exchanges, joint research programs, cultural events, and youth contacts.

We attach special importance to the Armenian community in the Czech Republic. It is a natural bridge between our two peoples and plays an important role in deepening Armenian-Czech friendship. During the meeting, we also addressed regional and international security issues.
We had particularly extensive discussions on this matter, both during our private meeting and the expanded meeting, because international and regional security are among the issues that concern and preoccupy everyone in the world today.

And, as Mr. Pavel noted, following the well-known meeting in Prague on October 5, 2022, as a result of direct bilateral negotiations with Azerbaijan, we were able to sign an agreement in Washington on August 8, 2025, which was of historic significance. Few people believed that this would be possible, but it became a reality, and we have already been living in conditions of peace for two years. We were not accustomed to living under such conditions with our neighbors, but we have entered a new situation, and we cherish the hope that this peace will be lasting-and it will be lasting.
We expect that in the near future we will both establish diplomatic relations and open the borders. This also concerns Türkiye, with which we have had closed borders and no diplomatic relations for 30 years. All of this will contribute to establishing overall peace in the region and directly reducing tensions.

As a result, the opening of regional communications, the development of economic ties, and expanded opportunities for the free movement of people can transform the South Caucasus into a region of cooperation and interconnectedness.

Today's meeting once again confirmed that our relations have a strong political foundation and significant potential for further development. I am confident that this meeting will contribute to the further deepening of friendly and partnership relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Czech Republic.
Once again, thank You, Mr. President, for the meaningful, constructive, and friendly discussion."