Monday, 13 June 2005
On a working visit to Thailand, RA Prime Minister A. Margaryan has met today with H.E. Bhokin Balakula, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Thailand.
The head of the Armenian government stated Armenia's interest in furthering and strengthening the cooperation with Thailand since the latter was looked upon as the gateway to South-Eastern Asia.
The Parties mentioned that the dialog between Armenia and Thailand was important in both economic and political respects. Legislative authorities on either side were said to be the maincatalysts of the political interface between the two countries. Parliamentary groups of friendship were operational performing reciprocal visits and joint activities. Indeed, the above had direct impact on both domestic and foreign policy strategies by activating not only interstate political relationships, but also providing a legal framework for the enhancement of economic partnership. In this context, stating that the current high level of interstate relations was ensured by a reciprocated goodwill on the part of respective governments and the solid legal and regulatory base existing between the two countries, including the newly signed agreements on avoidance of double-taxing of income and assets, as well as on cooperation in agriculture, in particular. The head of the Armenian government expressed the hope that in the near future similar agreements would be signed on mutual protection of investments, entry visa provision arrangements, which were being finalized at the moment. For his part, H.E. Bhokin Balakula assured that, in his capacity of head of parliamentary majority group, he was going to do everything in his power to have these agreements ratified as soon as possible in Parliament.
The Parties have touched upon the constitutional reform processes underway in their countries by noting that a parliamentary group from Armenia was scheduled to visit Thailand later this year.
Mr. A. Margaryan and H.E. Bhokin Balakula stressed the share taken by the not-numerous but influential and well-reputed Armenian community of Thailand in the cause of deepening the Armenian-Thai ties.
The Armenian Prime Minister and the Speaker of Thai Parliament expressed confidence that the improved legal environment would help develop both the public and private sectors of economy. The latter was supposed to be favored by the planned inauguration of respective trade missions in the two countries, as well as the exhibition of Armenian products due in Thailand in September, 2005, as followed by a similar show to be held in Armenia.
Later today the delegation headed by Prime Minister A. Margaryan returned to Yerevan.
