RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan received Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the French Republic to Armenia Jean-Francois Charpentier. The Ambassador’s assistant Nicola Fay also participated in the meeting.

During the meeting, the Ambassador mentioned that France received numerous Armenians who were saved from the Armenian Genocide by a miracle and that there are currently 500,000 French-Armenians who are active, very well organized and have fully integrated into the reality in France. He stated that France expressed its appreciation with French President Francois Hollande’s participation in the annual banquet organized by French-Armenian organizations and his speech at the event. The French-Armenian community is an important link that serves as evidence of the high level of Armenian-French relations.

The Ambassador attached importance to the development of economic relations and further deepening of cooperation and the effective use of the French-Armenian community’s potential in those processes.

Congratulating the French Ambassador on his term in office, Minister Hranush Hakobyan said: “I am pleased with the fact that you attach importance to economic cooperation. It would be nice if you could raise the level of economic cooperation to the level of political dialogue between our two countries.

It is not by chance that the Armenians consider the Charlie Hebdo tragedy a tragedy of the Armenian nation as well. On that occasion, I express my deep condolences. Those shootings were not only against freedom of speech, but also against mankind and a nation that has reached the high level of democracy. It is clear that today no country is safe from such terrorist attacks. We must all fight against that evil. I am referring to the 7 million Armenians living in 100 countries around the world. I must say that French-Armenians always speak with pride about their national roots and about being citizens of France-something that world famous singer Charles Aznavour has given a wonderful formula for by saying the following: “I am 100 percent French and a 100 percent Armenian”.”

Minister Hranush Hakobyan talked about the activities that the Ministry of Diaspora carries out with France’s Chambers of Commerce and Industry, particularly with the chamber in Marseille. Hakobyan attached importance to the activities of the network of Armenian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), which has branches in different countries around the world, held its last two conferences in Paris and Marseilles and will be holding its next conferences in May 2015 in Yerevan.

The minister voiced hope that the Ambassador would take part in the conference and would motivate businessmen with his authoritative speech, adding that this would help engage more investments in Armenia and would contribute to the development of trade and economic relations between the two countries.

The minister also touched upon the cooperation between the Ministry of Diaspora and the French University in Armenia and mentioned that the students can complete their internships at the Ministry of Diaspora and help create the French version of the website and electronic newspaper of the Ministry of Diaspora.

Minister Hranush Hakobyan attached importance to President of France Francois Hollande’s participation in the Armenian Genocide Centennial Commemoration ceremonies to be held on April 24^th.

The minister also talked about the events that are part of the Year of Armenia in Marseilles.

Ambassador Jean-Francois Charpentier expressed gratitude for the specially cordial reception and expressed his satisfaction with the activities that have been carried out for the development of business relations and trade and economic relations between France and Armenia.

At the end, Minister Hranush Hakobyan gave the Forget Me Not (symbol of the 100^th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide) and the illustrated book “Memorials of Sorrow, Remembrance and Struggle” (dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide) as gifts to the Ambassador.