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Օ n June 4, the RA NA Speaker Ara Babloyan to օ k part in the International Forum dedicated to the Development of Parliamentarism in Moscow and gave a speech within the framework of the theme Strengthening of International Security: The Role of Parliaments .

“Distinguished Mr Volodin,

Dear Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen,

First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to the Speaker of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Vyacheslav Volodin for the organization of this Forum.

The role of the parliamentary diplomacy as an important factor of the international relations, has considerably grown harmoniously adding and expanding the possibilities of the traditional diplomacy. The inter-influence between the legislative bodies is a significant contribution to the trustworthy contacts and the maintenance of dialogue even in such controversial issues, where the positions of the states can be substantially differed.

Today, when the world stands before the serious challenges the dialogue and the cooperation are more important than ever. We live in the conditions of new crises and threats, and witness the deepening of divisive lines. In the conditions of globalisation the instability can have consequences of global scale in one region. Therefore, we should unite our efforts for the provision of stability and peace.

Nowadays, the mechanisms of inter-parliamentary contact are more than ever required to counteract such challenges, as terrorism, extremism, intolerance, xenophobia and illegal migration.

In our opinion, to strengthen the international and regional security the main directions of the inter-parliamentary cooperation should include:

* the formation of the legislation to counteract the challenges and security threats and the exchange of experience in this sphere,

* promoting the ratification of international treaties.

* the activation of the parliamentary cooperation, the strengthening of the regional parliamentary structures and the expansion of cooperation with other international organizations,

* the elaboration of the joint programmes to face the challenges.

For example, speaking about the challenges, as the illegal migration, I believe that an agreed migration policy should be worked out directed to the long-term solution of the regional sensitive problems. The programmes should be designed in a way that the migration would be observed as an additional opportunity in the development processes of the country.

It is necessary to improve the legal bases of inter-state cooperation in the sphere of terrorism struggle. Such work is done within the IPA CIS framework. A model legislative basis has been created with joint efforts, which regulates the security problems.

A huge work is also done within the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly framework. The plan of the implementation of the Collective Security Strategy adopted in Yerevan until 2025 supposes joint actions of counteracting the terrorism and the extremism during the chairmanship of Armenia. In 2016 the statute in forming a united list of the terrorist recognized organizations in the CSTO format was approved. This autumn, on October 29-30, at the session of the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly to be held in Yerevan the items of cyber security and terrorism fight will also be discussed among other ones. The international inter-parliamentary organizations are considered to be one of the more effective platforms for the elaboration of the compromising solutions.

Colleagues,

The recent inner-political changes in Armenia show the degree of development of parliamentarism and democracy in our country. I would like to especially underline that despite all inner processes the vector of Armenia's foreign policy will remain unchanged. We'll be faithful to our international obligations.

In terms of regional security the peaceful solution of Nagorno Karabakh conflict continues to remain one of the most important items. We highly assess the consistent and constructive role of the Russian Federation and the OSCE Minsk Group other Co-Chairs in the peaceful settlement. Armenia is always adherent to the settlement of the conflict through exclusively peaceful format.

Despite the contribution of the investigation mechanisms of the violation of the ceasefire regime by the international community, the proposal of the increase of the international observers' number and the consistent efforts of the Armenian side aimed at their implementation, the official Baku continues maintaining the tension in the negotiation process, at the same time extremely increasing its military potential. Armenia approves its aspiration of continuing the search of the peaceful solution of the conflict: the principles of the international law, particularly on the basis of the nations' self-determination law, as well as we underscore the necessity of the implementation of the complex events directed to the restoration of trust and its full preservation based on the agreements reached between the parties in the Summits of Vienna, Saint-Petersburg and Geneva in 2016-2017. In this issue I would like to stress the parliamentarians' role. In our work we should do our best not to let the bellicose rhetoric and the xenophobia statements.

Discussing the international security issues I cannot but touch upon the situation of the Near East – the events happening in Syria. The national minorities' situation is the matter of our constant anxiety, moreover that a large Armenian community exists in that region. The delayed crisis became a reason of activation of the regional terrorist forces and resulted in the growth of the refugees' number. Only Armenia accepted about 22.000 refugees from Syria. Our country has become the third state in Europe with the number of the accepted refugees compared with the number of the population. Those are real challenges which cannot remain without attention. The international community should promote the quick political settlement of the Syrian crisis through dialogue and negotiations and with the mediation of the international structures.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Only the open and constructive dialogue, the advisory multilateral mechanism and the concerted actions will help to face the dangers and the challenges which are borne, as well as will become a firm basis for peace and security in the region. The parliamentarians' cooperation will allow providing the legislative basis of the international processes, taking into consideration the national interests, strengthening the independence and security of every state. I am sure that this Forum will essentially promote the strengthening of friendship, disclosing mutually beneficial ways of inter-parliamentary cooperation,” the RA NA Speaker Ara Babloyan said.

The RA NA Deputy Speaker Mikayel Melkumyan is in the delegation led by the RA NA Speaker.