Mrkic, Sargsyan: Lots of opportunities for cooperation

YEREVAN - Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivan Mrkic and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan agreed that the time has come for the countries, whose ties are marked by years' long friendship, to set up a legal basis for improvement of future cooperation in all areas.

“Our two countries share centuries' long friendship. It is only natural for us to want to progress further in all areas in the future,” Sargsyan said in the talks with Mrkic on Monday.

The Armenian president called on Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic to visit Yerevan and Mrkic noted that Nikolic planned to pay Armenia a visit in the course of the year.

The Serbian minister had previously conferred with Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbandian and they agreed that the current scope of bilateral cooperation does not match the two countries' potentials.

Nalbandian said that the greatest opportunities for economic cooperation lie in the sectors of tourism, industry, banking and finance, and Mrkic noted that Serbia is interested in cooperation in agriculture. They stated that there is mutual interest in cooperation in terms of science and research.

The foreign ministers of Serbia and Armenia signed the agreement on prevention of double taxation and Mrkic announced that the agreements on investment protection and cooperation in tourism are being drafted. He noted that a direct flight from Belgrade to Yerevan should be introduced soon.

On Monday, Mrkic met with Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan and Parliament Speaker Ovik Abramian.

In a statement for Tanjug, Mrkic said on Tuesday that the talks with Armenian top officials rendered a conclusion that the two countries are very close and are committed to setting up an...