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On October 24 the Vice President of the National Assembly Eduard Sharmazanov and the Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Health Care, Maternity and Childhood, Head of Armenia-France Parliamentary Friendship Group Ara Babloyan met with the delegation led by Yves Revillion, Vice President of the epartement Hauts-de-Seine and Alain Maurice, Mayor of the city of Valence.

Welcoming the guests the NA Vice President Eduard Sharmazanov highlighted their visit to the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia and expressed conviction that such visits would give new impetus to the relations of the two countries and strengthen the centuries-old friendship. According to Mr Sharmazanov, France has repeatedly proved that it is a progressive country creating and spreading democratic values, protecting the human rights, and the crimes committed against humankind has always sharply criticized in France and has received dignified anti-strike. With regards to this the role of France is big in the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, which is important not only in terms of restoration of justice, but also exclusion of genocides. The NA Vice President highlighted the effective cooperation of cities and communities in activation of Armenian-French relations and establishment of local self-government bodies of Armenia and expressed hope that this visit would give opportunity to make the works of the Decentralized Cooperation Forum to be held next year in Valence, France more effective.

Thanking for warm reception Yves Revillion, Vice President of the Departement Hauts-de-Seine, said that the goal of the delegation’s visit to Armenia served for the organizational works of the next sitting of the Decentralized Cooperation Forum scheduled in France in 2013. The previous Forum took place in Yerevan in October 2010 with the participation of the representatives of 25 local authorities – heads of cities, departments and regions. Mr Yves Revillion noted with satisfaction that at the beginning of this year “Armenia” group had been created in the Association “United Cities of France”. The cities and regions of France, which internationally operate within the framework brotherhood agreements with cities and administrative entities, join the Association. He also said that within the framework of the support Programme being allocated to the RA Tavush Marz by the Departement Hauts-de-Seine and the branch of France of Pan-Armenian Fund would visit Tavush Marz to get acquainted with the works done on the spot. By the Development Programme of Tavush Marz monetary grant support is shown in the Marz in the spheres of cattle breeding, village mechanization and fruit growing. 4mln euros have been allocated to Tavush for those purposes.

Alain Maurice, Mayor of the city of Valence, recorded with satisfaction the membership of Armenia to the Association, which once again documented about the warm friendship of the two countries and active cooperation. That friendship is also evident in the political sphere and inner-state relations. He noticed that France recognized the Armenian Genocide by the force of law, and the President of France, to his conviction, would again put into circulation the law criminalizing the denial of all genocides. Mr Alain Maurice said that the next Decentralized Cooperation Forum, for the participation of which they would wait for Armenian colleagues, would discuss the issues of regional development, highlighting the problems of tourism, agriculture, education and economic development of the territories.

The Head of the Armenia-France Parliamentary Friendship Group Ara Babloyan with satisfaction has recorded that in different spheres the Armenian-French relations are not only stable and continuous, but they also have dynamic development. He has said that the Armenia-France Parliamentary Friendship Group is the biggest among the Friendship Groups of the Armenian Parliament, the website of the RA National Assembly functions also in French, and Armenia joins the Francophonie and promotes the dissemination of its ideas. The Armenian people evaluate the big friendship of France, its created all-human values and admires with its culture.

Both sides expressed conviction that we should do our best to make more active and effective the cooperation shaped in different spheres between the two countries for the benefit of the two peoples’ welfare, friendship formed through centuries and mutual respect.