Toast by President Tony Tan Keng Yam at the State Dinner for HE Serzh Sargsyan, President of the Republic of Armenia

Your Excellency Serzh Sargsyan
President of the Republic of Armenia

Excellencies

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

        It gives me great pleasure to extend a warm welcome to you, President Sargsyan, and members of your distinguished delegation to Singapore. The Government and people of Singapore are honoured by your visit, the first State Visit from the Republic of Armenia.

        Your Excellency’s visit marks a milestone in the diplomatic relations stretching over 20 years between Singapore and Armenia. Singapore has also been privileged to host a number of high-level visits from Armenia, including Minister of Diaspora Her Excellency Ms Hranush Hakobyan in March 2011, and Foreign Minister His Excellency Mr Edward Nalbandian just last month. We are delighted that the Foreign Minister is with us again this evening. 

        It was also an honour for Singapore to host a team of Armenian civil servants to study Singapore’s public administration in January 2011. The visit took place under the auspices of the Singapore Cooperation Programme with the support of the Charles and Agnes Kazarian Foundation. The idea of a study visit arose from a proposal by Your Excellency during your meeting with Mr Lee Kuan Yew, who visited Yerevan in May 2009.

        Our bilateral relationship is one that is premised on many commonalities and complementarities. As small countries, Singapore and Armenia share many common challenges and interests and there is much that we can learn from each other. Therefore, I am happy that our countries have stepped up cooperation through the signing of MOUs on cultural cooperation and mutual waiver of visa requirements for holders of diplomatic and official passports earlier today.

        People-to-people ties between Singapore and Armenia extend far back into history before the establishment of our diplomatic ties. Armenians were among the first traders to arrive when the British established a free port in Singapore in 1819. 

        Apart from trading, Armenians were also successful in our publishing, hospitality and services sectors. The Straits Times, which was founded by Catchnick Moses in 1846, is the largest-circulating newspaper in Singapore and read by 1.4 million people daily.  One of Singapore’s most photographed landmarks, the Raffles Hotel, was built and managed by the Sarkies brothers in 1887. 

        The impact of the Armenian community in Singapore goes beyond commercial sectors. The first Christian church in Singapore, the Church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator, was built by Armenians in 1835. Vanda Miss Joaquim, our beloved National Flower since 1981, was named after an Armenian horticulturist resident in Singapore, Agnes Joaquim, in 1893. 

        I am happy to note that the Singapore-Armenian Development Council (SADC) has been actively promoting stronger people-to-people ties between Singapore and Armenia. The SADC hosted the visiting Armenia Youth Olympic Team during the inaugural Youth Olympic Games held in Singapore in 2010, and organised the celebrations for the 175^th anniversary of the Armenian Church last year. Younger Singaporeans are also keen to learn more about Armenia and our historical connections. For example, Mayflower Secondary School organised an Armenian Cultural Week to promote greater awareness of Armenia to its students. I am delighted that a few members of the Armenian community are able to join us this evening. 

        I am hopeful that the historically strong people-to-people ties between our two countries will continue to be sustained. There is much scope for our two countries to leverage on the good relations we already enjoy and work together for the mutual benefit of our peoples. Your Excellency’s State Visit will raise awareness of the potential for collaboration with Armenia across many areas, including trade and investments.

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

May I invite you to join me in a toast: 

·                To the good health and success of His Excellency President Serzh Sargysan; and

·                To the enduring friendship between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Singapore.