Relations with Vatican are important for Armenia: Serzh Sargsyan

Armenia's President Serzh Sargsyan received on Wednesday the president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Cardinal Kurt Koch.

Welcoming the guest’s visit to Armenia, the president considered it one of the best proofs of the efforts to strengthen and develop relations between Armenia and the Holy See.

“As a country which was the first in the world to adopt Christianity, Armenia attaches a great importance and significance to the relationship with Vatican.” Sargsyan said. “The bilateral historical ties and contacts, the spiritual heritage and the general features of the set of values oblige us to keep our relations on a high level and do everything possible to deepen them.”

The cardinal said in turn that he was very much pleased to see Armenia maintain the serious traditions of Christianity.

He told the president that the Catholic church’s mission is to encourage peace, develop dialogue and cooperation between all the peoples and religions, considering it the first precondition for establishing peace.

The president highly praised Vatican’s role in not only maintaining peace and promoting human rights and tolerance, but also bringing together Christian values.