On the 10th of February, 2010 the RA Minister of Defence Seyran Ohanyan met the Minister of Defence of France Mr. Eghve Moghen. After the talk of the heads of the defence departments of the two countries a broader discussion between the delegations was held. The two sides discussed matters of mutual interest, came up with ideas about the regional, European and international challenges, talked about the work done in the frames of the Armenian-French defence cooperation and discussed the prospects for cooperation. The RA Minister of Defence invited his French colleague to make an official visit to Armenia. After the discussions the ministers of defence of the two countries signed an agreement about the Armenian-French bilateral defence cooperation, which will become a legal base for implementing military cooperation between the two countries.

During the official reception organized after the signing ceremony the ministers of defence of Armenia and France made speeches. Seyran Ohanyan and E. Moghen underlined the importance of the official visit of the RA Minister of Defence to France and the signing of the cooperation document. They have noted the role of the French-Armenians in the process of developing defence cooperation between the two countries. On the same day the RA Minister of Defence was received by Gi Tesien - the president of the permanent committee for Security, Defence and Internal Affairs under the National Assembly of France. They discussed the reforms in the defence sphere, the importance of developing mechanisms for civil and legal control over the armed forces, and they exchanged ideas about the challenges of regional security. On the 10th of February, in the frames of the visit, the RA Minister of Defence visited one of the most ancient and advanced military institutions –the Joint Defence College of France. Here the higher educational system of the French Armed Forces and the teaching methodology were introduced to the Armenian delegation. On the 10th of February the RA Minister of Defence also visited St. Hovhannes Mkrtich (Hovhannes the Baptist) cathedral in Paris where he met the clergymen and some representatives of the Armenian community in France. In his greeting speech Seyran Ohanyan underlined the importance of the role of belief and the Armenian Apostolic Church in the process of the RA army-building and training and educating the martial spirit of the militants. Then Seyran Ohanyan put a garland at the memorial of Komitas. On the same day, with the participation of the Armenian delegation, garlands were ceremonially put at Mont Valerieni memorial commemorating the warriors that fell for freedom and independence during the Second World War. RA MoD Department of Information and Public Affairs