On February 20, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian arrived in Equatorial Guinea for an official visit. The purpose of the visit was to establish relations between Armenia and Equatorial Guinea in various areas, as well as to discuss the fate of the six Armenian pilots, who have been imprisoned there since March 8, 2004. The Armenian delegation included Sergei Manaserian, Armenia¹s Ambassador to Bulgaria, formerly Ambassador of Armenia to Egypt. Ambassador Manaserian has been engaged in the case of the Armenian pilots since the beginning and has visited Equatorial Guinea several times.

Minister Oskanian held several meetings with high-level officials, in the capital, Malabo. During his meeting with the Foreign Minister of Equatorial Guinea, Minister Oskanian discussed prospects for the future development of bilateral relations in several fields, including cooperation in international organizations and in education. The sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding on holding talks between the two ministries. They also agreed to exchange ambassadors in the near future.

Minister Oskanian met also with Miguel Abia Biteo Borico, Equatorial Guinea's Prime Minister and with State Prosecutor Jose Olo Obono. They discussed several issues as well as the Armenian pilots. The sides exchanged their views on signing a bilateral agreement on extradition which would help to regulate processes surrounding this difficult issue.

During his visit to Malabo, Armenia¹s foreign minister was able to meet with the pilots, as well.