The following is an edited version of a press statement issued by the Office of the President of Armenia.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, now in the United States on a working visit, met with U.S. Vice president Joe Biden on March 31 in Washington D.C.

The parties underscored that since Armenia’s independence, Armenian-American relations have constantly been on the rise thanks to mutual efforts and reciprocal political will.

President Sargsyan and Vice President Biden noted with satisfaction that currently the agenda of the interstate relations comprises a number of areas – political, economic, humanitarian, and security and that in these areas the two countries each year register new achievements.

According to Sargsyan, thanks to such mutual efforts, Armenian-American cooperation is currently at the highest level in its history. The president of Armenia hailed the assistance provided by the United States aimed at Armenia’s economic advancement and implementation of reforms in different areas.

President Sargsyan also stressed the importance of the role played by the US in maintaining regional security and stability, especially active involvement of the United States in the Artsakh peace process.

Sargsyan and Biden also discussed the situation in the South Caucasus, exchanging views on the Artsakh peace process in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group and developments in the Middle East.

President Sargsyan noted that Armenia is deeply concerned with the actions of terrorist groups carried out in the vicinity of Armenia and strongly condemns them. He mentioned that as a result of terrorist actions conducted in Iraq and Syria many Armenians residing there are being killed or becoming refugees and that centuries old Armenian cultural relics are being destroyed or damaged.

Vice President Biden praised Armenia’s efforts in providing shelter to a large number of refugees from Syria and for creating normal living conditions for the Syrian Armenians.