Armenian, Portuguese presidents discuss avenues for cooperation  

As part of his working visit to Portugal, Armen Sarkissian on Tuesday met with the country’s president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, to discuss bilateral cooperation issues.

Greeting his Armenian counterpart at his residence and welcoming his visit, the Portuguese leader highly praised the close historical-cultural ties between the two states. He also expressed his high respect for the contribution of Calouste Gulbenkian, the renowned Portuguese-Armenian philanthropist, and the activities of the foundation named after him.   

For his part, the Armenian president highly appreciated the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation’s humanitarian and cultural initiatives, describing the institution as a unique kind of bridge in the Armenian-Portuguese relations.

According to a press release by the presidential office, the two state leaders further exchanged thoughts over future avenues of cooperation. They mutually agreed that the two countries can be successful partners in the fields of education, science and innovative technologies.

Addressing Portuguese government’s spaceport construction program, the president highlighted Armenia’s great scientific potential in the sector.

As a promising trend for developing cooperation, the two presidents focused on developing the tourism sector. Agreeing that a great number of Armenian tourists can visit Portugal and vice versa, the sides stressed the importance of improving the air communication between the two countries and exploring further opportunities for boosting tourism.

At the end, President Sarkissian invited his Portuguese counterpart to visit Armenia.

For his part, Rebelo de Sousa invited Sarkissian to visit his country.