Armenian president lays wreath at Armenian cross-stone in Valetta

YEREVAN, March 29. /ARKA/. Armenia’s president Serzh Sargsyan, who has arrived in Malta today on a working visit, laid a wreath to the Armenian khachkar (cross-stone), erected in the center of Valetta, Malta's capital city, Sargsyan’s press service said.

Khachkar was set up on December 22, 2009 at the initiative of the local Armenian community as a sign of gratitude to the people of Malta for their support to Armenians who found refuge in the country.

Sargsyan has arrived in the Republic of Malta to attend a congress and a summit of the European People's Party (EPP). Heads of state and government of the EU and Eastern Partnership member states, whose parties are also members of the EPP, are invited to take part in the summit. 

Before the first plenary session of the congress Sargsyan visited the Hastings Park where he met with mayor of Valletta Alexei Dingli, Maltese parliamentarians and representatives of the Armenian community.

The first Armenians found refuge in Malta after the fall of the Cilician Kingdom (1375). The second wave of refugees arrived on the island after the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire in 1915. -0-