The Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs being in Singapore on an official visit on February 28th was received by Tony Tan Keng Yam, the President of Singapore. Welcoming the Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Singapore’s President noted, “The Armenians have left a deep trace in the history of our country and had a great contribution to the development of the state, the great proof of which is the fact that the Orchid flower, Singapore’s national symbol – is named Wanda Zhao Kimi, a Singaporean with an Armenian origin and the country's first church in the 19th century was built by the Christian Armenians.” Thanking for the reception, Minister Nalbandian conveyed Singapore’s President the greetings and wishes of the President of the Republic of Armenia. Minister Nalbandian mentioned that the visit of Singapore's Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew to Armenia in 2009 opened a new page in the relations between the two countries. The Armenian Minister expressed hope, as well that the state visit of the Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan to Singapore by the invitation of President Tony Tan Keng Yam would give a new impetus to the development of the friendly interaction between the two countries. The President of Singapore asked the Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs to pass to President Sargsyan that Singapore is waiting for the first visit of the Armenian President in bilateral history with warmth and pleasure. Singapore’s President and the Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs discussed the steps to be undertaken towards the development of bilateral relations, as well as the possibilities to expand economic cooperation and the interaction in the field of investment. The sides exchanged views on international agenda issues, as well. On the same day took place the talks between Edward Nalbandian and Singapore’s Foreign Minister K Shanmugam, the agenda of which included preparatory works of the Armenian President to Singapore and the possibilities of the expansion of bilateral cooperation in various spheres. Minister Shanmugam underlined that the first visit of the Armenian President to Singapore on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between the two countries is a symbolic one and would give a new impetus to the development of bilateral relations. The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and Singapore had a thorough talk on the issues related to the reinforcement of legal framework and agreed to prepare a number of documents for signing in the near future. Singapore’s Minister of Foreign Affairs attached great importance to the contribution of the Armenian community in Singapore to the development of his country. Minister Nalbandian expressed gratitude for their caring attitude towards the Armenian cultural heritage existing in Singapore. The sides discussed in detail a number of issues of an international importance, in particular the Asian regional issues and the developmentsunrolling in the Middle East. In the course of the meeting the cooperation being conducted in the frames of the ASEAN was touched upon, as well. Minister Nalbandian presented his Singaporean counterpart the steps being undertaken by Armenian towards the maintenance of security and cooperation in the region and the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. The discussions were continued during the official dinner hosted by the Singaporean Minister of Foreign Affairs in honor of the Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs. In Singapore Edward Nalbandian visited the Armenian Church of St. Gregory Lusavorich (Illuminator) built in 1835 where he had a meeting with the representatives of the Armenian community. The Armenians in Singapore informed Edward Nalbandian about their activities, preservation of the Armenian identity and cultural heritage in Singapore. Concluding the visit on the same day Edward Nalbandian left for Yerevan. The meetings of the Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong In the frames of the Asian trip on February 27th the Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbandian who is in Hong Kong on a transit visit met with Hon Jasper Tsang Yok-sing, the President of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. The interlocutors had a thorough talk on the issues related to the economic cooperation between Armenia and Hong Kong. In the context of the development of bilateral relations, the importance to facilitate visa regime between the two countries was underlined. Minister Nalbandian informed the President of the Legislative Council about the intent to establish an Armenian Honorable Consulate in Hong Kong. Edward Nalbandian had a meeting with Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong, the Secretary for Security of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, as well. During the meeting the sides discussed the possibilities of the visa regime facilitation between Armenia and Hong Kong. Edward Nalbandian met with the heads of a number of big companies and presented them the economic reforms being conducted in Armenia and investment opportunities. In the course of the meeting the sides discussed the implementation of the agreements reached during the visits of Hong Kong businessmen to Armenia in December of 2011 and in February of 2012, as well as the steps to be undertaken in that sphere. On the same day Edward Nalbandian left for Singapore where meetings with the leadership of the country are scheduled.

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