RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who has arrived in Armenia on an official visit, today met with media representatives following their high-level talks. The Premiers summarized their talks and answered journalists’ questions.

Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan – Good afternoon, dear colleagues, I am glad to see you. Talks have been held with the Prime Minister-headed Canadian delegation.

First of all, I want to say that I welcome Mr. Trudeau’s visit to the Republic of Armenia. Mr. Trudeau is the first ever Canadian prime minister to pay an official visit to our country. This is a landmark event, and I hope that it will lead to historical developments in our relations.

We have discussed a wide range of issues concerning the bilateral agenda and international affairs. Moreover, the talks started yesterday when we had a face-to-face meeting with my counterpart and discussed domestic, international and regional issues. And I am pleased to note that we have common ideas about many issues, and in fact, on all issues.

The Canadian prime minister is well aware of the events that took place in Armenia, and in fact, I am happy to have the backing of a prominent political figure, such as Mr. Trudeau, in developing democracy and the rule of law in Armenia. There is no doubt that the Armenian government and people are firmly committed to democratic values, and that we will go confidently in that way.

Coming to the Armenian-Canadian relations, I can say that we enjoy a very good atmosphere here, and we have clearly formulated our task: this favorable atmosphere needs to be converted into good deeds, into more tangible cooperation between the governments and the business circles of our countries.

We talked with Mr. Prime Minister about the importance of strengthening human ties, as the relations between the two countries imply first of all human relationships, and if we see the situation from that perspective, we can say that the relations between Armenia and Canada are truly excellent because we met several times during these days, and I can say that as a result of these meetings I no longer consider him a good friend of only Armenia and the Armenian people as it used to be before these meetings, but also a friend of mine.

I also want to express my admiration for Mr. Trudeau’s political experience and the activities he is performing in his country by inspiring young people with optimism not only in Canada, but also throughout the world.

Mr. Prime Minister, dear Justin, I am glad to once again welcome you to the Republic of Armenia and express my conviction that we will have many opportunities to meet and talk to each other. I hope these contacts will truly lead to tangible results in our relations, our economic, political and cultural ties.

Thank you.

Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau - Thank you for your kind and thoughtful remarks, thank you for today’s event. First of all, I would like to thank the Armenian people and Prime Minister Pashinyan for a fabulous welcome here in Armenia. It was a pleasure to see you at the United Nations General Assembly, and you were able to strengthen our friendship during this week.

You may know that I visited Armenia with my father and brothers in the 80s. I should admit now that we have been multiplying and enhancing the ties between our two countries over the last 30 years.

This week, I had the chance to participate in the Francophonie Summit here in Yerevan. And I congratulate the Prime Minister and his entire team for a very successful Summit. I understand that holding international events like that calls for hard work and many efforts. We will work together to implement its proclaimed goals.

I am pleased to announce two new Canadian initiatives on the African continent. We are committed to investing USD 6.5 million to support the empowerment of Senegalese women, and 18 million dollars to fight against sexual violence in Congo. I have no doubt that together the countries of La Francophonie can build a more prosperous future for all.

Here in Yerevan, I also had the opportunity to visit the moving Armenian Genocide memorial. The world must do its duty of remembrance; we have to say never again.

Today, the Prime Minister and I continued our discussion. This meeting was an opportunity for us to discuss our shared values such as democracy and strengthen the already strong ties that unite Canadians and Armenians in respect and friendship.

I consider that this day is as much important for the Armenian community of Canada. People are in fact the focus of our bilateral relations. There is a 60.000-strong Armenian Diaspora in Canada which enriches the nation’s palette and the country’s panorama.

As Sargis Asatryan, the first Canadian Armenian Member of Parliament, has said, Canadian Armenians continue to draw on their talent to build a better Canada, and 20 years later this is as true as ever.

Your community proves the fact that diversity is really one of the strongest aspects of Canada. Just as the Armenians welcomed Syrian refugees in Yerevan, Canadian Armenians welcomed and opened their hearts to Syrian refugees who had escaped the conflict and arrived in Canada.

Also, we support newcomers. On the way to their success story, they are helping others to adapt to the country. The citizens of our two countries are writing our common history, and at the same time, they are laying a foundation for our new relationship to the future.

Nikol and I discussed our common future. The future for Armenia and Canada will continue along with our rapprochement. For example, we decided to ease the traveling problems between our two countries. Now 21 hours are required for airlines to travel from Ottawa to Yerevan.

Prime Minister Pashinyan and I also discussed the possibility of a bilateral agreement on air communications. I will also work with the Prime Minister to facilitate contacts between tourists’ families and business people.

Just as our two nations are connected through peoples’ ties, we are tied by those shared values we profess, such as democracy.

At our meetings, Nikol and I talked about what we can do to support our common commitment and strengthen democratic institutions; institutions that are supposed to build a bright future for our citizens.

That is why Canada has also launched the “Arnold Chan Initiative for Democracy.” Together, we will create a brilliant future for the whole world. This initiative will encourage Armenian organizations to get their youth and women engaged in political processes and address environmental issues among others.

Arnold Chan, my friend of blessed memory, was an extraordinary MP. He was dedicated to the service of people and his community, so I cannot imagine a better way of paying tribute than launching an initiative that fits all his life, giving everyone the chance to make a success and make their voice heard.

As a member of the Canadian-Armenian Friendship Council, he laid the groundwork for our today’s ties, so I want to introduce to you Jean, Arnold Chan’s wife, as a member of Canadian Parliament. Dear Jean, thank you for being with us now.

It was very important for Arnold to work with the Canadian Armenian community, whether at local events or in Toronto’s Armenian community center. I know that you are doing it for him instead.

Our today’s statement promotes Arnold’s legacy, reinforcing the flourishing relations between Canada and Armenia. This meeting is just the beginning of our cooperation.

Canada has set up an independent ombudsman’s office responsible for entrepreneurship. He will work with Armenia as well so that the ties between our two countries could be ever closer, putting forward our common values and priorities.

Once again, thank you, Nikol, for hosting me in Armenia.

The friendship between us, which he talked about, is undeniable: we had delightful conversations together, our hopes and dreams relate not only to the peoples that we serve, but to the whole world, part of which we attach to the values that link us to a stronger, deeper vision of democracy that will be anchored in the empowerment of all citizens and the ability to move forward, to create a society that is truly fair and open to all.

This really brings us closer, and we know that we will continue to do so in the months and years to come.

Thank you very much.

Question – I would rather ask you to answer my question both in English and French, if possible. Prime Minister Trudeau, you are here after experiencing emotional moments as you visited the Genocide Memorial, but also you are in Armenia amid rapid social and political transformations. You have already discussed this with your counterpart. How do you see the future of the two countries’ relations, taking into account the changes that are taking place now, and of course, bearing in mind that there is some uncertainty associated with the proposed snap elections in Armenia

Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau - First of all, the relations between Armenia and Canada have deeper roots than the ones between the two leaders. This is something that is also anchored in our long-term historical ties with the Diaspora Armenian community, as well as on the enthusiasm we have concerning the future.

We talked for a long time about Nikol’s vision on how to push ahead with democratic values and principles, and how I imagine it. He understands that winning people’s confidence in the role of government institutions and the role of society as active citizens is essential and central to building a solid economy, building inclusive communities, and from now on we will continue to work together in this direction over the coming years.

We talked about the future of Armenia, the future of Armenian-Canadian relations, and it is very inspirational. Nicol pointed out the importance of the fact that citizens should be trusted on order to encourage them to actively engage in social and political developments that will help build a more cohesive future. We intend to continue to work in this direction.

Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan – Of course, the country-to-country and people-to people relations are not as much relations between political figures. But the main change that took place in the Republic of Armenia is as follows: any person in the status of Prime Minister shall from now on be seen as the people’s representative in the Republic of Armenia. And the key feature of today’s political reality and the peculiarity of our vision of the future is that the person who is the head of state in Armenia should represent not only the citizens of the Republic of Armenia, but also the Armenian people, in general.

It should be noted that the political changes that took place in Armenia were supported not only by the citizens of the Republic of Armenia, those living in Armenia, but also the entire Armenian nation.

We have also been supported by Armenians from Canada, Russia, the United States, etc. In fact, there is no Armenian community in the world that has not supported the non-violent, velvet revolution in Armenia.

And the key point in the upcoming parliamentary elections is that the National Assembly, the government, in general, all public agencies should be comprised of such individuals who represent the people, who have appeared there owing to people’s free will. This is the main political change that has occurred in Armenia, and no election can change this reality, not in the sense that the same figures shall be representing the people, but in the sense that those who appear in the status of prime minister shall be empowered by the people. The main point is that no election will ever be rigged, and the people’s choice will never be disregarded in Armenia.

This is the main political change that has taken place in Armenia and there is no doubt that this change will not only last for a long time, but it will always be with us since democracy, the rule of law, transparency are not at all the brainchild of our political team, but the common understanding of our people because it was not my team, nor even more me that carried out the revolution; it was made possible through the joint effort of our people, the Armenian people, and the citizens of the Republic of Armenia. They have the highest power in the Republic of Armenia, and this will always be the case.

Question - Prime Minister Trudeau, my question has to do with your today’s visit to the Genocide Memorial. What is your reaction, do you not intend to raise this issue considering that many States have not yet acknowledged the Armenian Genocide?

Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau – It has been a long time since Canada recognized and condemned the tragic Genocide of the Armenian nation. The Armenian community in Canada has for a long time emphasized not only the understanding of past tragedies, but also the importance of guaranteeing that they will not recur or continue in the future.

In recent times, Canada has been playing a key role across the world in terms of taking specific steps to minimize the impact of such crimes on citizens so as to achieve accountability for such crimes by any political regime.

We will continue to advocate international recognition, as we understand that recognition of the past is the first step toward reconciliation and peace.

Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan - I would like to make a comment. The recognition of the Armenian Genocide is not only a matter of acknowledging the past, but also building the future, and it is important to note that it has two important meanings for Armenia. Firstly because Armenia is contributing to the global fight against genocide, because genocides, unfortunately, continued in the 20th century and, unfortunately, these threats have not yet been eliminated in the 21st century, and Armenia prioritizes its participation in the global prevention of genocides. Secondly, the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide is also a security issue for us as it is very important to state that we are facing a lot of potential threats today. For instance, Armenia’s borders remain blocked by Turkey, and Armenia finds itself in a blockade, as a matter of fact, and this is a threat to our national security.

During our discussions, we also talked about the Karabakh issue. I emphasized that it was important to make an accurate record and make it more understandable for the international community. After all, people should understand the reasons behind the conflict because, unfortunately, we sometimes get an impression from international contacts that others perceive the Karabakh problem as a territorial dispute.

This is not just the case because the Karabakh issue originated in the context of the fact that the Armenians living in Artsakh faced the threat of a new genocide, and bearing in mind the experience of the former genocide, people just wanted to protect their right to live.

We speak about human rights, the freedom of speech, the rule of law, equality of opportunities for women and men, children’s rights, domestic violence, which are indeed important issues, and we are endeavoring in that direction. But the conflict in Karabakh originated when the human right to live was just threatened.

That threat was more visible and evident to the Armenians of Karabakh, the people of Artsakh, since they remembered the Great Yeghern of 1915.

Question - I am addressing the Prime Ministers of Armenia and Canada. Gentlemen, I would like to know your opinion about the current status of Armenian-Canadian business ties. Did you consider specific investment programs during the Yerevan talks, and do you think that the influx of investment will go intensifying after the snap elections of December? The Canadian-Armenian businessmen consider that the opening of Canada’s Embassy in Armenia is a priority. Has it been discussed or not? Thank you

Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan - From the very first moments of our conversation, Justin expressed readiness to support Canadian investments in Armenia. It is very important. Yesterday, we also met with Canadian businessmen who are already investing in Armenia, who intend to expand their investment in Armenia, and it is of course important in terms of attracting new investments into the country.

I want to I highlight my request to Canada’s Prime Minister as I asked him to convey to Canadian business people the essence of those processes underway in Armenia, I mean the fight against corruption, which may affect foreign companies as well.

I feel it important to stress that these actions are in no way aimed at preventing future investments or driving foreign investors out of Armenia, to put it mildly, but on the contrary, we want to create an environment where investments and economic activity would be safe from the whims of the government or individual officials.

And if there were cases where the government or a government official acted in a discretionary manner, where someone’s interests or the environment standards were ignored, we must work to answer not only those questions, but also to establish strict standards so that such situations might be ruled out in the future. Everyone - the public, the investors and the government – should be convinced that any decision or cooperation is comply with the national interest. And I am glad that we have a complete understanding on this issue.
Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau – We spoke about the deepening of investment ties between our countries. There are already good public contacts, there is Diaspora, there are wonderful and great opportunities for economic investment.

We have discussed several areas, such as water resources management, infrastructure projects, waste water and solid waste management, natural resources. These are the directions we will continue to talk about in the coming months.

As to the embassy, many have asked me about it. We are going to consider such a possibility alongside deepening our relations. The more people keep in touch and the more investments are made, the more an embassy will be needed. From the very beginning of the visit, we talked about Canada’s investment opportunities in Armenia; there is a great interest in developing drinking water management infrastructure. There is great potential for investment that may attract both Canadian companies and Canadian Armenians. We will continue to discuss these issues.

As to the embassy, we hope to address that issue in the future. With the deepening of our relations and the expansion of economic and business ties, as well as the activation of ties between our two peoples, the issue of the embassy will become more relevant.

Question – Mr. Prime Ministers, you have also touched upon the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. How do you see the settlement of the conflict, and in particular, how do you view the effectiveness of possible negotiations, if shots are being heard at the border on a regular basis?

Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan - I briefed the Prime Minister of Canada on our meeting and the agreements reached with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

It is a fact that the negotiations on the Karabakh issue are being held within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group, but we consider it important that our international partners be informed about our understanding and the situation.

Our understanding is that the conflict should be settled solely through peaceful means and by means of negotiations. We have our own understanding of the scope and content of the problem, and we share it with our partners.

Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau – Canada calls for continued dialogue and peaceful talks over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. We hope that a peaceful resolution will come for all sides.

We urge all parties to uphold the international efforts, such as the Minsk process, and are hopeful that the problem will be settled to the best interest of the peoples in the region.

Thank you.