06 05 21 - AMBASSADOR POLADIAN

• Interview with the outgoing Ambassador of Armenia Dr. Arshak Poladian
AMBASSADOR POLADIAN
Abu Dhabi, 17 May 2006

Your Excellency, Could you please give us an idea about the progress of diplomatic ties between the Republic of Armenia and the United Arab Emirates?

Diplomatic relations between Armenia and the UAE were established in 1998. Two years later Armenia opened an Embassy in Abu Dhabi. I came here first in April 2000. The official opening of the Embassy was on 23rd September 2000, with the presence of the Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, members of the diplomatic missions accredited to the UAE, senior members of the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a considerable number of Armenians.
The opening of the Embassy was a significant event. Armenians from UAE, Qatar and Kuwait have come to witness it. There was great enthusiasm in the air.

Six years have passed since then. We can say that the initial two years were the foundation years, the formation of the legal framework for our activities. Generally speaking the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are very important to us, not only for economic reasons but also due to the geopolitical proximity. Oman was the first country with whom we established diplomatic ties in 1992, followed by Kuwait in 1994 and the rest of the countries followed few years later (except Saudi Arabia).
Read the rest of the interview and see the announcement of the Abu Dhabi Armenian Council here ...

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