The main aim of the Armenian President’s pan-Armenian tour is to meet with representatives of the Armenian Diaspora and listen to their opinions on such a momentous issue as normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations, Deputy Head of the RA Presidential Staff Vigen Sargsyan told reporters.

He said that this is the Armenian leader’s first “supranational pan-Armenian” tour. The President’s aim is to hold meetings with representatives of large Armenian communities shaping the Armenian Diaspora’s opinion. President Serzh Sargsyan is to visit New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Beirut and Rostov (Russia). The Armenian President stressed that he does not plan any bilateral political meetings. According to him, meeting with Diaspora representatives is the only aim of his tour. The Armenian leader is to spend less than 24 hours in each of the cities except for Los Angeles, where he will also meet with representatives of Armenian TV channels. The President is to go on a weekly pan-Armenian tour on October 1. During his meetings with representatives of the largest Armenian communities he will listen to their opinions on the present stage of the Armenian-Turkish rapprochement.

At is meeting with Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II yesterday, the Armenia leader stated the Armenian-Turkish rapprochement process is at the all-important stage of public discussions, which is a good opportunity for voicing opinions irrespective of whether the Protocols will be ratified or not. The President admitted that some points in the Protocols, as well as some moments in domestic political consultations, arouse concern. The reason is Armenian cultural monuments and parental homes of the descendants of victims of the Armenian Genocide.