Correspondent for www.almsaeya.com sat down for an interview with RA Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Egypt Armen Melkonyan. Hayern Aysor presents the edited version of the interview with some reductions.

During the interview, the Ambassador viewed the Armenian-Egyptian relations, the foundations of which were laid a long time ago, as excellent.

The dialogue between the two countries is constructive in all spheres, and this was emphasized during the meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of both countries in February 2014.

Ambassador Melkonyan also mentioned that Armenia assists Egypt in implementing its plans for democracy and has condemned the terrorist acts committed by extreme Islamists.

Touching upon economic relations, the Ambassador regretted to mention the fact that the potential of both countries still hasn’t been used, but voiced hope that the stabilization of politics in Egypt and Armenia’s accession to the Eurasian Economic Union would foster economic development in both countries.

According to the Ambassador, both countries have special relations in the cultural sphere, and we have witnessed that with the Days of Armenian Culture in Cairo and the Days of Egyptian Culture in Yerevan.

The Ambassador praised the Center for Armenian Studies opened at the University of Cairo. The Center for Armenian Studies was established in 2007, but unfortunately, it was closed down for a short while in 2013-14.

Touching upon the Centennial of the Armenian Genocide, Ambassador Melkonyan considered Turkey’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide necessary and said recognition would establish security and stability in the region.

The Ambassador also emphasized that even though more than 20 countries have recognized the Armenian Genocide, Turkey not only refuses to recognize it, but is also organizing an event to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli on April 24^th when the day is usually celebrated on the 18^th of March every year.

Touching upon the issue of Palestine, the Ambassador mentioned that the Armenian people respect and are compassionate towards the Palestinians and hope they will definitely make their wishes come true by shaping an independent state.

Talking about the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, the Ambassador stressed the fact that Armenia stays true to the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group, but added that Azerbaijan constantly violates the ceasefire regime and threatens Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh, and this puts the peaceful settlement at risk.

Azerbaijan is also leading an anti-Armenian propaganda and is distorting the history in an attempt to present Armenia and particularly Yerevan as Azerbaijani territories, while all reliable historical and religious sources and old world maps prove the opposite.