The Egyptian-Armenian Community is an Important Bridge Between Two Friendly Countries: Zohrab Mnatsakanyan

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia has published an interview with Foreign Minister Zohrab Mnatsakanyan in the "Al-Akhbar" newspaper.

Question: How do you assess the dynamics of bilateral relations between Armenia and Egypt?

Answer: Indeed, the upwardly developing Armenian-Egyptian relations are based on mutual respect and special friendship. You know that Egypt was the first Arab state to recognize the independence of the Republic of Armenia and hosted Armenia’s first diplomatic representation in the Middle East. Since independence, we have been able to build multifaceted cooperation with our Egyptian partners. It is enough to mention that more than 50 agreements related to various areas of cooperation have been signed between our two countries. The Armenian-Egyptian intergovernmental commission is an effective platform for discussing issues related to the bilateral agenda, as well as outlining the prospects for the upcoming strengthening and expansion of relations.

Recently, the dynamics of political dialogue is encouraging. At the same time, we have managed to outline the prospects of our trade and economic relations in IT, pharmaceuticals, creative education, agriculture, and other fields. Our agenda includes discussions and alignment of positions regarding regional processes and challenges.

Our intergovernmental cooperation has been successful, and together we have been able to record important achievements. At the same time, we feel the need to breathe new life into our cooperation to match new international and regional realities, especially when we face similar, if not identical, challenges to regional security. Today, we see more than ever that the security of our distinct regions—Eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East, North Africa, and even the South Caucasus—is interconnected.

Question: How can Armenia support Egypt in the signing of a free trade agreement with the EAEU?

Answer: Armenia has expressed its full support for Egypt's desire to join the EAEU free trade zone. And yesterday, during a joint press conference with my good friend, Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, I reaffirmed that support.

In June 2019, at the start of the first round of negotiations, Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan expressed our determination to support and assist our friendly Egypt in its desire to join the free trade agreement. We are convinced that all parties will benefit from deeper cooperation within the framework of the aforementioned trade agreement. For this reason, we are interested in completing all procedures for signing the agreement as soon as possible.

Question: What role do the Egyptian-Armenians play in the development of relations between Egypt and Armenia?

Answer: Having settled in Egypt during various historical periods, Armenians have made significant contributions to the development and prosperity of Egypt. During the most difficult times in our history, when the existence of the Armenian people was at risk, Egypt, together with a number of other Arab countries, accepted thousands of Armenians who were saved from the horrors of genocide in the Ottoman Empire. We will never forget the hospitality that our compatriots who survived the genocide received in Egypt. Today, the descendants of those Armenians continue to live and contribute in Egypt; they have made significant contributions to the establishment and development of Egypt’s state institutions, and we are proud of that contribution. Being loyal citizens of Egypt, they are also endowed with all the necessary opportunities to preserve their national identity, language, and traditions. We are certainly deeply grateful to the government and people of Egypt for their efforts and the protection of our people. The approximately ten-thousand-member Egyptian-Armenian community is an important bridge between the two friendly countries. The presence of the Armenian community has created fertile ground for the development of intergovernmental relations between the two countries.

For the full interview, click here.