RA NA President Artur Baghdasaryan had bilateral meetings with high-ranking officials visiting Armenia within the framework of the 15th anniversary of the Armenian Parliament.
On October 31, RA NA President Artur Baghdasaryan met with Bernard Shreiner, PACE Vice-President, who visited Armenia within the framework of the celebration of the 15th anniversary of the parliament of the Republic of Armenia.
The Parliament President informed Mr. Shreiner about the reforms which go on in Armenia, particularly, according to the obligations that Armenia undertook in Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, about the process of constitutional reforms, the referendum ofNovember 27,the aim of which is political and economic progress of Armenia, Artur Baghdasaryan mentioned that in the process of democratization the vital role belongs to the assistance of European structures, particularly, the PACE, the Venice Commission.
Mr. Shreiner expressed his thanks to the National Assembly on behalf of Rene van der Linden, the PACE President, for steps toward integration to European structures, which deeply contribute to the strengthening of democracy. He also wished success to the process of the adoption of constitutional reforms, which, he thinks, will move Armenia one step forward.
During the meeting the issues concerning other developments in the region were also discussed.
During the meeting with Markku Koski, the Vice-President of the Finnish Parliament, the issues of Armenian-Finnish inter-parliamentary cooperation were discussed. Mr. Koski stressed the importance of development of inter-governmental and inter-parliamentary relations in today's globalized world, since such developments contribute to the increase of welfare. In 2006 the 100th anniversary of the Parliament of Finland is celebrated, and Mr. Koski invited the NA President to Helsinki. It is the first visit of the Vice-President of the Finnish Parliament in Armenia and, according to his evaluation, the changes in Armenia are rather impressive, and political stability creates all possibilities for investments and economic development.
The NA President stressed the importance of the development of business cooperation, as well as noticed that the legislative experience the Finland has may be of much help for the process of integration of Armenia into European processes.
During the meeting between Valentin Kuptsov, Vice-President of State Duma of Russian Federation and Alexander Torshin, Deputy Chairman of RF Federal Council the issues concerning the development of the Armenian-Russian inter-parliamentary cooperation were discussed. They conveyed the congratulations of the President of RF State Duma and the President of RF Council to the President of RA National Assembly. The 15th anniversary of the Armenian Parliament was evaluated as a very important political and public event in the post-Soviet space. Discussing the constitution referendum, the two sides evaluated it as an event with a great political importance for Armenia. It was mentioned during the meeting that in future the postponed session of inter-parliamentary cooperation would take place in the nearest future. During the meeting, issues on expanding inter-regional cooperation, as well as the issue of possibility of holding joint conference in 2006 were discussed.
Mikheil Machavariani, Vice Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, conveyed the greetings and congratulations of Nino Burjanadze, Speaker of the Georgian Parliament and noted that he will convey the initiatives of the Armenian MPs to Georgia, the parliament of which is going to have the 15th anniversary, and it will be right to celebrate it.
NA President Artur Baghdasaryan highlighted the activation of the inter-parliamentary relations and the re-start of the work of the Armenian-Georgian inter-parliamentary committee and the cooperation in the international structures. They touched upon the re-operation of the Abkhazian railway, for which the Georgian-Armenian joint discussion was highlighted. They also touched upon the issue of re-operating the railway Kars-Gyumri, which is ready to work, and the construction of the new railway avoiding Armenia will be a fact not contributing the regional cooperation. The Parliament President highlighted the social concrete programmes being implemented in Samtskhe-Javakhk and noted that Armenia is ready to do everything possible for the implementation of those programmes. At Mr. Machavariani’s request, Artur Baghdasaryan also touched upon the constitutional reforms being made in Armenia. Both sides highlighted the deepening of the reforms for the development of stability and cooperation in South Caucasus.
The Vice-President of the Parliament of Tajikistan is also first time in Armenia, and as he evaluated, for a country with 5000 years of history there are very good opportunities for stable development and progress. Mr. Dovlatov mentioned that after the establishment of the peace in Tajikistan, there are also opportunities for economic development in Tajikistan and 30.000 Armenians living in Tajikistan are fully involved in this process.
NA President Artur Baghdasaryan highlighted the establishment of the Armenian-Tajik inter-parliamentary ties and invited the President of the Tajik Parliament to Armenia, noting that in the National Assembly an Armenian-Tajik parliamentary friendship group has already been established.
During the meeting with Georgy Surlas, Vice Speaker of the Greek Parliament, NA President Artur Baghdasaryan mentioned that the development of the Armenian-Greek relations, the deepening of bilateral political, economic, scientific-cultural relations are of great importance.Based on the Armenian-Greek centuries long ties and destiny, the comparisons of the history, Mr. Surlas highlighted the continuation of the relations with new quality and noted that the parliamentary friendship groups can contribute to that. Mr. Nikolpoulos, Alternate Secretary of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy, who was in the Greek delegation, conveyed his congratulations to NA President in the name of PA. They discussed the issue of holding an Assembly of Christian countries in Armenia, as a country, which first adopted Christianity as a state religion, to which NA President expressed his readiness to assist it.
During the meeting with Inge Lonning, Vice President of the Norwegian Parliament, issues of the development of the Armenian-Norwegian inter-parliamentary relations were discussed. Mr. Lonning noted that after the parliamentary elections of Norway a new government was shaped in the country, a new President of the parliament was elected. The foreign policy, however, remains the same, and Norway is ready to develop the relations with Armenia.
NA President Artur Baghdasaryan highlighted the assistance of the Norwegian Council to the refugees residing in Armenia and the earthquake zone. Both sides highlighted the work of the parliamentary friendship group. Mr. Lonning also proposed the variant of the inter-party co-operation, which was gladly accepted. It was also noted that from 2007, according to the signed memorandum, the Parliamentary Assembly of South Caucasus will work, which can co-operate with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Northern countries.
During the meeting with Bernard Piras, head of the parliamentary friendship group of the Senate of the Republic of France with Armenia and Senator Ambruaz Dupon the Armenian-French inter-parliamentary relations were touched upon. Mr. Piras conveyed the greetings of Christian Poncelet, President of the French Senate and expressed his satisfaction for the celebration of the 15th anniversary of the Armenian Parliament, noting that the idea speaks for it and marks the hard and difficult road of Armenia. NA President Artur Baghdasaryan highlighted the development of the Armenian-French parliamentary relations in the aspect of the Euro-Integration processes of Armenia. During the meeting the sides discussed the possibility of holding a forum dedicated to the issues of Euro-Integration of Armenia under the aegis of the French Senate in Armenia in 2006 within the frameworks of the year of France in Armenia.
The issues of deepening the Armenian-Belarusian parliamentary relations were discussed with Vladimir Konoplyov, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Belarus. Mr. Konoplyov invited the Parliament President to Minsk on an official visit. It was noted that the Armenian-Belarusian inter-parliamentary co-operation works successfully. The problem of co-operation in the international structures also discussed. Agreements were reached on the exchange of the Belarusian experience in the sphere of high technologies. Mr. Konoplyov wished success in the referendum of constitutional reforms, expressing confidence that Armenia will make one step forward.
During the meeting with Hou Yibin, Head of China-Armenia parliamentary friendship group with the People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China. Mr. Yibin noted that the exchange of delegations contribute to deepening of inter-state and inter-parliamentary relations. As cooperation priority both sides mentioned the spheres of industry, agriculture, science and education. They also highlighted establishment of the inter-party relations. Underscoring the importance of the Armenian-Chinese relations, NA President Artur Baghdasaryan noted that there is great potential, and the cooperation in economic and scientific-educational spheres will open good possibilities. Mr. Hou Yibin invited NA President to Beijing on an official visit.
During the meeting with Česlovas Yuršenas, Vice President of Lithuanian Seima, the active conyinuation of the relations were highlighted. Mr. Yuršenas conveyed the best wishes of Arturas Paulauskas, President of Seima, to NA President and noted that at the end of 1980s Armenia and Baltic states became propagators of independence in the post-Soviet areas, and today they have all rights to establish the righteousness of their ideas. Egidijus Klumbys, Head of the Armenian-Lithuanian Parliamentary Friendship Group told about the photo exhibition of 1915 Armenian Genocide opened in Seimas, which will have its continuation in Kaunas and other cities of Lithuania. NA Presidenet Artur Baghdasaryan highlighted the Armenian-Lithuanian relations from the viewpoint of the study of the Lithuanian experience in the processes of Euro-Integration, which is useful from the viewpoint of harmonizing the Armenian legislation with European standards.
RA NA President Artur Baghdasaryan received Agob Kassardjian and Yeghia Djeredjian, MPs of Lebanon, who arrived in Armenia, to take part in the celebration of the 15th anniversary of the Armenian Parliament. They conveyed the congratulations and best wishes of the President of the Lebanese Parliament and noted that the 15th anniversary testifies the deepening of democracy, and the success of Armenia become more obvious, when the representatives of European structures and parliaments, and parliaments of the Eastern countries say words of evaluation. The celebration was also highlighted as a possibility of establishing relations with MPs of different countries, which in its turn promotes to make sound the voice of Armenia in the world.
NA President Artur Baghdasaryan received Vincenzo Siniscalchi, member of the Chamber of Deputies of the Republic of Italy. He conveyed the best wishes of Pier Ferdinando Casini, President of the Italian Parliament and the wish to activate the Armenian-Italian inter-parliamentary relations. Mr. Siniscalchi highlighted the inter-parliamentary relations, as inter-parliamentary firm relations are necessary, first of all, for the development of scientific-cultural and trade-economic relations, as well as tourism. He also conveyed Mr. Casini’s wishes of success for the process of constitutional reforms, which in Italy are assessed as a progressive step of Armenia in Euro-Integration.
NA President Artur Baghdasaryan expressed his thanks for the participation of the 15th anniversary of the parliament and re-affirmed the official invitation of the President of the Chamber of Deputies to Armenia, during which issues pertaining to inter-state and inter-parliamentary relations will be discussed.