DIPLOMATIC SCANDAL OR CHANGE IN PLANS?

Gegham GHARIBJANYAN, Vice Minister of the RA Foreign Ministry, does not consider the express departure of Iranian President Mahmud Akhmadinejad from Armenia a diplomatic scandal. “In reality a change in plans took place. In the morning we met with the Iranian delegation, and I learnt from their Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, that their plans have changed and they must return to Iran without delay,’ announced today Gegham Gharibjanyan while talking to journalists at the RA National Assembly. In his words, the President of the IRI left Armenia at noon, but prior to that, at 9 am met with the RA Speaker Tigran Torosyan.

Related to the reasons for such departure Gharibjanyan only said the following: “they explained the reasons for their departure referring to very serious arguments.” He also added: “I cannot disclose those to journalists.”

On the whole, he assessed the IRI President’s visit a successful one. “There is sufficient progress related to serious economic projects. As a former Ambassador of Armenia to Iran I can state that the issue of the gas pipeline is a past stage and we are talking now about oil pipeline and railway communications,” noted Gegham Gharibjanyan, assuring that not one, but several visits of the Iranian President to Armenia will take place in future.