YEREVAN. – Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Tuesday received a delegation, led by Italian President Sergio Mattarella, who is in Armenia on state visit.

First, Pashinyan expressed a conviction that the Italian president’s visit will contribute to raising Armenian-Italian relations to a higher level, press office of the government informed Armenian News-NEWS.am. Mattarella, in turn, underscored the expansion of cooperation between the two countries.

Subsequently, the interlocutors discussed matters of mutual interest. In particular, they stressed the effective cooperation in defense sector. 

Also, PM Pashinyan thanked Italy for its balanced position on the Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) conflict, and its support of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs’ efforts to resolve this conflict. President Mattarella, for his part, noted that Italy will continue its balanced position regarding this conflict, and stressed that this conflict cannot have a military solution. In this context, the Armenian PM and the Italian president highlighted the strengthening of regional stability, an active dialogue between the parties to the Karabakh conflict, and the forming of a climate of peace.

Nikol Pashinyan and Sergio Mattarella exchanged views also on Armenia-European Union (EU) relations. In this connection, the Italian president assured that he will do his utmost so that the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement will be ratified in the Italian legislature at the shortest time possible.

Following their talk, the Armenian PM and the Italian president continued their discussions over a working lunch.