The Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan received Edgar Peña Parra, the Deputy Archbishop (Deputy Secretary) for General Affairs of the Holy See and the delegation led by him.
The meeting was attended by Karen Nazaryan, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia to Vatican and Archbishop Jose Avellino Betancourt, the Apostolic Nuncio to Armenia.
In his welcoming speech, Prime Minister Pashinyan mentioned:
"Your Excellency, dear members of the delegation,
Welcome to the Republic of Armenia. I would like to reaffirm our readiness to develop the interstate relations with the Holy See and I am glad that the Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See was officially opened in Yerevan yesterday. It will be a very strong impetus for our relationship.
Our relationship has a deep historical basis, it is based on common Christian values, which is a very important fact. In this regard, I would like to thank you for the strong positions expressed by the Holy See during the 44-day war. I also attach great importance to our cooperation in the preservation of the Armenian cultural and Christian cultural heritage in the territories under the control of Azerbaijan.
We are grateful to High Priest for his commitment to deepen our bilateral relations. I remember, of course, during a difficult time, our telephone conversation with High Priest, please convey my greetings to His Holiness the High Priest, to Secretary of State Cardinal Parolin. I greet you again, I am glad for this opportunity to meet and discuss the issues on the agenda of our relations. "
The Deputy Secretary of the Holy See in his turn said:
"Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister. Today is the second and the last day of my visit. I was in Yerevan on the occasion of the opening of the Holy See Embassy, using the opportunity to meet with the Armenian authorities. Thank you very much for hosting our delegation.
I would like to thank you for this meeting and emphasize that the opening of the Holy See's apostolic Nunciature will continue to strengthen our bilateral relations, especially in the areas we have already discussed, in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other departments that are relevant to our relationship.
His Holiness and Cardinal Parolin send their greetings and best wishes to you personally and the Republic of Armenia. We will continue to work together on our common agenda, focusing on a number of important issues, including the issue of your prisoners of war.”
The Prime Minister thanked the Pope for his readiness to continue the steps in this direction, calling for the immediate release of the Armenian prisoners of war held by Azerbaijan, emphasizing that international support is needed to resolve the issue.
The interlocutors exchanged views on Armenian-Vatican relations and regional issues. Nikol Pashinyan mentioned that the Armenian government is committed to the agenda of opening a peaceful era in the region, but the commitment of all stakeholders to that process is possible. Both sides valued the contribution of the Holy See and Armenia to the maintenance of world peace.
Edgar Peña Parra assured that the Holy See will continue its efforts to preserve the Armenian cultural and cultural heritage in the territories under the control of Azerbaijan and to resolve the issue of the return of Armenian prisoners of war.
The Prime Minister valued the fraternal ties between the Roman Catholic, Armenian Apostolic and Armenian Catholic Churches, which is a solid foundation for Armenia-Vatican relations. Nikol Pashinyan expressed confidence that this dynamic will be maintained and will further develop as a result of the opening of the Vatican diplomatic representation in Armenia.
