Students of the YSU Faculty of International Relations met with Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Serbia to Armenia Tatyana Panayotovich-Tsvetkovich. At the meeting, the ambassador delivered a lecture to the YSU students on Serbia’s politics, Armenian-Serbian relations, as well as the prospects for further development of bilateral cooperative ties.
Tigran Yepremyan, Dean of the YSU Faculty of International Relations, gave a welcome speech. Highlighting the importance of the ambassador’s visit to YSU, noted that the lecture of Tatyana Panayotovich-Tsvetkovich is devoted to the 30th anniversary of Armenian-Serbian diplomatic relations.
"Armenia and Serbia have had historical relations dating back to the times of the Byzantine Empire. In Serbia, there is great interest in Armenian history and Armenia, one of the proofs of which is the Serbian translation of the 5th-century historian Movses Khorenatsi's "History of Armenia. There were times when Armenia and Serbia were part of one state, the Byzantine Empire, where Armenians played a pivotal role. The two peoples have been familiar with each other's cultures since those times," said T. Yepremyan.
The dean pointed out that similar meetings serve to familiarize students with their future colleagues and the positions of the latter, as it is important not only to acquire academic knowledge but also to learn crucial insights from the representatives of the given country.
Tatyana Panayotovich-Tsvetkovich, the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Serbia to Armenia, speaking about the cooperation with YSU, emphasized the value of these lectures, as they are an excellent opportunity to present the history of diplomatic relations, pointing out cultural, economic and political ties between the two countries.
"Diplomatic relations between our countries were and continue to remain at a fairly high level. Armenia and Serbia have shared history since the 12th-13th centuries. Back in the 17th century, many Armenians came to Serbia and settled due to historical events. Even today, many Armenians live in Serbia, which proves the strong friendly ties between the two countries," the ambassador noted.
Tatyana Panayotovich-Tsvetkovich brought some examples proving that bilateral diplomatic relations have been developed and strengthened over the years.
"It is a well-known fact that there is no visa regime between the two countries, which I attach particular importance to. We fully hope that such cooperation will also contribute to the enhancement of bilateral relations. As we celebrate 30 years of diplomatic ties this year, we aspire to open an auditorium at YSU, where Armenian students will learn Serbian," said the ambassador.
The lecture ended with a question-and-answer session. The students asked the speaker questions about international cooperation and regional issues.
After the lecture, an agreement was reached with the ambassador that the Embassy of Serbia in Armenia shall support the activation of interaction between Armenian and Serbian scientists and professors, thereby bolstering partnership ties in the scientific and educational sphere.
According to Dean Tigran Yepremyan, the representatives of the Embassy of Serbia in Armenia will participate in the "Geopolitics of Eurasian Crossroads: Transformations, Challenges and Development Paths" conference, which will take place on October 10-11, this year.
