On November 24, the meetings of the delegation headed by Mr. Tigran Torosyan, President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia in Moscow continued. Numerous issues related to Armenian-Russian relations were discussed during the meeting with Sergey Mironov, Chairman of the Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. Greeting the high rank delegation, visited from Armenia, Mr. Mironov expressed satisfaction that the meetings lately became often, he especially highlighted the meeting of “Caucasian Four” held in Saint Petersburg, where important issues related to the region were discussed.

Mr. Tigran Torosyan, President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, thanking for the reception, stressed that the solved issues after the previous meeting should be talked about during every next meeting. He talked about the readiness of the meetings and sincere discussions of the Armenian side, as even the most difficult issues are solved through discussions.

Then the discussion passed through the procedure of question and answer.The RF FC FA senator Mr. Hovhannes Ohanyan was interested in the condition of teaching Russian, and whether there was adopted a relevant law for solving the issue. Mrs. Hranush Hakobyan, Chairwoman of the Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture and Youth clarified that the general school in Armenia passed to 12-year education, and from the second form Russian is taught at schools, besides the Russian- Armenian Slavonic State University and the recently opened Center for Russian Book work efficiently. And Mr. Tigran Torosyan, President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia added that there has never been a similar problem in Armenia, and there is no such problem. Moreover, similar issues are not regulated by law, and in general, it is beyond human understanding to raise non-existing problems. Russian has been and is very important in all senses, as a means of communication having invaluable importance for culture, science and education.

Mr. Nikolay Rizhkov, Co-Chairman of the Armenia-Russia Interparliamentary Cooperation Commission noted that the committee functions regularly and productively, the last session was held in Yerevan in October, the next will be in Moscow in March. Mentioning that the two parliaments are entering a stage of election - in Armenia in May and in Russia in December, Mr. Rizhkov expressed wish for the parliaments of the new convocations also to carry on working in the same productive way.

Mr. Tigran Torosyan, President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia touched upon the inadmissible announcements ever sounded by Russian colleagues, especially senator Mr. Vadim Gustov’s press conference to Azerbaijani mass media, where the issues related to the settlement of the South Caucasian conflicts were raised and unsubstantiated conclusions were drawn related to the return of the territories and borders not to be changed.

Mr. Gustov clarified that he participated in the negotiations of the ceasefire already in 1994 and from that time on he is deeply interested in the conflict to be solved. He is concerned about the budget increase of the military expenses of Azerbaijan and Georgia, and considering the work of the Minsk Group non-productive he expressed his view, proposing his variant of the solution, concerned about that issue and the inconsolable condition of the refugees.

Chairman of the Council of Federation Mr. Sergey Mironov clarified that the Russian side highly assessed the work of the Minsk Group and finds that Russia should be the warrant for the realization of the solution of the issue, which will be mutually acceptable for the sides of the conflict.Mr. Tigran Torosyan, NA President, reminded that neither the arms, nor the finances and the number of soldiers have solved the war issue, then and now the solution of war should not be conditioned by those factors. And the Azerbaijanis should direct their finances for creating normal conditions of life for the refugees.Mr. Tigran Torosyan also did not agree with the estimation given to the work of the Co-Chairmen of the Minsk Group, finding that lately they have found a good resolution for the conflict settlement, comparing and not contradicting the principles of peoples’ self determination and territorial integrity. Whereas Azerbaijan, as it was before, also refuses those proposals. As to the refusal with Mr. Brezhnev’s references on the establishment of the new states, then that view not only does not coincide with the Russian approach, having a Co-Chairman of the Minsk Group and, in general with the Co-Chairmen’s proposed principles, but it is absolutely inadmissible for Armenia. He advised to get information before public speeches, related to such issues, for preventing such one side and inadmissible approaches. The MP Mr. Spartak Seyranyan also touched upon this issue. He noted that the speeches have a bad public reflection and are beyond imagination on centuries-long friendly cooperation. The MP highlighted the necessity of information security and cooperation, proposing to be cautious in public speeches.

After the meeting the two presidents of the two parliaments had a short briefing for the journalists, answering the journalist’s question on the theme of the discussions, Mr. Mironov noted that the mutual relations were fully displayed he was satisfied with the level of inter-parliamentary cooperation. “Armenia is our friend, our ally, and I would not restrict our friendship with Caucasian mountains, we are friends and allies everywhere,” said Mr. Mironov.

To the question “When will be opened the Upper Lars checking point?” Mr. Mironov said that the checking point was closed for reconstruction, and the opening is connected with the construction works.

The NA President noted that the meetings always pass in warm friendly atmosphere.The meetings are very productive and always help to solve the current issues in a short time.Mr. Tigran Torosyan expressed hope that the productive cooperation will continue at bilateral level, as well as in the level of international organizations, serving the friendship of the two countries and peoples.

Then the delegation participated in the works of the Federal Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.Chairman of the Council of Federation Sergey Mironov officially announced about the opening of the Days of the Armenian Parliament in the Federation Council. On that occasion Mr. Tigran Torosyan, President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, in his speech thanked for the warm reception and passing Days of the Armenian Parliament in the Federal Council, expressing hope that they will be interesting, and the meeting of the MPs of the two parliaments will be productive.

It is evident that the inter-parliamentary relations promote the continuation of the constructive cooperation of the two countries, which are expanded year by year, providing the legal field, which is necessary for full and harmonious cooperation. Mr. Tigran Torosyan greeted the aspiration of the Armenian and Russian parliamentarians not only in legislative but also in political, trade-economic, scientific and humanitarian spheres, as the parliamentarians fill and enliven the efforts of the presidents of the two countries and the Governments.

The President of the National Assembly touched upon the works of the Interparliamentary Cooperation Commission, due to which the ties of the two parliaments became stable and dynamic. Nevertheless, the interests of Armenia and Russia demand to find new opportunities for deepening those ties, increasing their effectiveness, as we should not pretend that everything is wonderful, and that there is no problem and unsolved issue, beginning from preventing the certain MPs’ irresponsible announcements to the necessity of specifying and defining our general interests.

For that reason mentioning all the positive things that has been developed by the MPs’ efforts, the indisputable fact should be noted that there is a huge field of highlighting many spheres of activity improvement and inter-parliamentary cooperation.Mr. Tigran Torosyan stressed in his speech that the joint work is a vital issue in international parliamentary structures, especially taking into consideration the rapidly changing situation not only in the post-Soviet territory, but also all over the world. “In general, of course, the Russian-Armenian cooperation can be estimated constructive in international parliamentary structures, but it cannot be qualified as perfect and constructive. We have a to do lot of work yet for mutual awareness of information and elaboration of agreed general position beforehand in important issues for each country. Maybe, it is not possible to have joint position in all issues, but I think in issues of vital importance for the two countries it is extremely necessary. I especially want to stress that both the two countries need to have similar cooperation,” said Mr. Tigran Torosyan.

Touching upon the Interparliamentary Assembly of CIS, Mr. Torosyan noted that it has a special role for the parliaments of the former Soviet republics, as it unites the parliamentary potential for developing model legislation, in order to promote the closeness and harmonization of national legislations. But besides the mentioned functions the IPA CIS has become an important basis for the development of bilateral and multilateral parliamentary ties. And today, when the CIS is 15 years old, and the leaders of the CIS countries are thinking about the improvement of the structure, on solving different issues, including the overcoming of the conflicts, the IPA, which accumulated experience, can and should have a serious role in that activity. But for that it is, first of all necessary the IPA CIS to be amended, to comply with the current demands, and be at the same level with European inter-parliamentary organizations and become a functioning mechanism of overcoming modern challenges. The Armenian and Russian parliamentarians can be the initiators of those reforms.

At the end of his speech Mr. Tigran Torosyan declared that this official visit and passing the Days of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia in the Council of Federation of the Russian Federation, should be also another step in the direction of deepening the cooperation and peoples’ friendship of the two countries.

Related to the days of the National Assembly, an exhibition, dedicated to the history of the National Assembly opened in the building of the Council of Federation. On the same day the members of the delegation had meetings at the standing committees of the Council of Federation. The themes of the discussions were the development of trade- economic and financial crediting ties between Russia and Armenia, cooperation between Russia and Armenia in the humanitarian sphere, in the social sphere, the Russian-Armenian cooperation within the framework of Collective Security Agreement as an important factor for providing peace and stability in the Caucasian region.

On November 24, Hayk Kotanyan, Chief of Staff of the National Assembly, met P. Tkachenko, Head of the Staff of the Council of Federation.

Within the framework of the official visit, the delegation headed by Mr. Tigran Torosyan, President of the National Assembly put a wreath to the memorial of the Unknown Soldier.