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Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Malta have a years-long history, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan stated during the press conference on the results on the meeting with the Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Malta Fra Matthew Festing held in the Presidential Palace on Monday.

To the President’s words, ‘a historic bridge is being established between the world’s first Christian nation and the oldest Christian military order”.
 
“It is also symbolic because back in the time of the crusades, the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia and the Order of Malta had close political and cultural ties, which today are getting a new life. The visit of Your Most Eminent Highness inspires us to give a new quality to our bilateral cooperation,” President Sargsyan stated.

The President next informed that at the meeting with Fra Matthew Festing he in discussed prospects of bilateral cooperation, as well as important regional and international issues the atmosphere of sincerity and great mutual understanding.

“We certainly expressed our profound thanks for the humanitarian assistance which the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Malta has been providing since the devastating earthquake of 1988; the assistance has been significant and certainly didn’t go unnoticed,” the President noted.

Serzh Sargsyan informed about existing opportunities for expanding the cooperation in the areas of medical services, protection and organization of the civilian population in emergencies, joint historical research in which the Order of Malta and Armenia have accumulated impressive experience were discussed at the meeting.

“We concurred that we possess the most important thing for the further development of our cooperation – the same system of values which translates into similar approaches for the resolution of problems. It is no secret that the history of the Armenian nation has been full of struggle – for the preservation of our Christian identity and values, for the Christian culture, for the promotion of humanism. One can say that after the adoption of Christianity, Armenians have been carrying out their historic mission in line with the motto of the Order of Malta - Tuition of Faith,” Serzh Sargsyan stated.

The President next announced about about the special relations existing between Armenia and the Holy See, a mass offered by the Holy Father on April 12, 2015 at the Saint Peter’s Cathedral and dedicated to the innocent victims of the Armenian Genocide and certainly about the visit of the Pope to Armenia last June, which in these violent days was a brilliant example of the inter-church solidarity.

“We have certainly spoken about the tragic situation in Syria which became a humanitarian catastrophe. We noted with pain that the Christians, and not only the Christians, there are being prosecuted and tortured. On behalf of Armenia, I expressed readiness to bring our contribution to the implementation of any initiative which will somehow stop the elimination of the Christians and Christian heritage at the Middle East,” Serzh Sargsyan said, adding; “Your Most Eminent Highness, once again – welcome to Armenia, welcome to the first Christian nation where we are always delighted to receive Armenia’s distinguished guests”.