Armenian president invited to Washington summit

Visit would be first by an Armenian leader in nine years

by Emil Sanamyan

Published: Friday March 12, 2010

In July 2000, then–Defense Secretary William Cohen (left) signs a nonproliferation deal with Armenia’s Serge Sargsian. Department of Defense

Washington - President Serge Sargsyan has been invited to attend the Nuclear Security Summit organized by President Barack Obama on April 12-13.

According to the Armenian president's office, the invitation came in a phone call placed by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on March 12. Mrs. Clinton also expressed an interest in using the opportunity to continue talks on matters of mutual interest.

One of those matters has been the Armenia-Turkey normalization process promoted by the United States. In recent days, both Armenia and Turkish official have expressed skepticism about chances for ratification of a normalization agrement the two sides signed last October.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was among more than 40 foreign heads of state invited to attend the summit, although he indicated he might not attend.

For the past decade, U.S. and Armenia also have a record of cooperation on nuclear non-proliferation since a relevant agreement by then Defense Minister Sargsyan.

Armenia relies on nuclear energy for some 40 percent of its electricity needs. And a large-scale effort has been launched to replace the existing Soviet-era reactors at Metsamor with new ones in the next several years.

First presidential visit in nine years

Since his election, Mr. Sargsyan visited U.S. twice: in September 2008 to deliver an address at the United Nations General Assembly in New York and in October 2009 to meet with Diaspora leaders in New York and Los Angeles.

A visit to Washington for Mr. Sargsyan would be first in presidential capacity although he had visited previously as prime minister, defense minister and national security service director.

Last time an Armenian president visited Washington was in April 2001, when then President Robert Kocharian joined Azerbaijan's Heydar Aliyev for a meeting with President George W. Bush.