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On October 31 on the third day of the official visit to the Czech Republic the first meeting of the RA NA President Hovik Abrahamyan was with the first Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs Karel Schwarzenberg.

Welcoming the NA President and the members of the Delegation the Minister of Foreign Affairs highlighted Hovik Abrahamyan’s visit in terms of developing and deepening the Armenian-Czech cooperation. Touching the Karabakh problem, he highlighted the stability and peace of the South Caucasus region and noted that the NK conflict should be settled as a result of peaceful negotiations in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group

Hovik Abrahamyan highly appreciated in the issue of the NK conflict the balanced stance of the Czech authorities, in particular, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The NA President thanked them for the stance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic and for strict evaluations. He highly assessed during the parliamentary question and answer session Karel Schwarzenberg’s evaluation to the question of the Chairman of the Czech Republic-Armenia Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group Robin Bőhnisch on Safarov’s extradition and pardoning him. /We’ll remind you during the meeting that he has particularly said: “In this issue the Czech Republic is for Armenia, and those steps damage the efforts of the international community to reinforce the confidence between the parties of the Karabakh conflict and weakens the process of peaceful negotiations. Safarov is a sentenced murderer, the murder remains a murder, and what took place is mockery towards the victim’s family members, principles of justice and rule of law. We are deeply concerned about the Azerbaijan’s steps. I don’t think that this is the issue of only the governments of Hungary, Azerbaijan and Armenia. The response of the international community witnesses that. The whole international community is deeply and especially concerned about Azerbaijan’s actions. The positive thing is that the Foreign Minister of Armenia has reaffirmed his wish of resuming the negotiations with Azerbaijan. Now it is important to prevent the further escalation of the situation The Czech Republic supports the peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict through negotiations between the parties within the framework of the principles of international law”/.

Touching upon the Armenia-EU cooperation the NA President noted that the European Integration was one of the foreign policy priorities and the format of cooperation with the European Union had considerably been expanded during the recent years. He highlighted the negotiations of the Association Agreement, and the part of them included the creation of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area. The negotiations over the Association and facilitation of the visa regime and the readmission agreements had been completed.

In terms of boosting and activating the Armenian-Czech cooperation, the NA President highlighted the provision of the entry visas for the RA citizens to the Czech Republic in the Diplomatic Representation of the Czech Republic functioning in Armenia. Hovik Abrahamyan underlined the necessity of enlivening of trade-economic relations, the development of the ties in the spheres of culture, science and education, for which there are good preconditions.

In the course of the meeting the sides touched upon the inner-political issues of Armenia, the upcoming presidential elections, and the reforms of the justice system and other issues of bilateral interest.

Hovik Abrahamyan’s next meeting was with the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Miroslava Nemcova. Welcoming the Delegation of the National Assembly of Armenia and recording the high level of bilateral relations Ms Nemcova highly assessed the visit of the Head of the Parliament to the Czech Republic in terms of deepening the Armenian-Czech relations and activating the inter-parliamentary cooperation. The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies deemed necessary the development of the bilateral relations also in the spheres of economy, culture, science, agriculture and other spheres.

Thanking for warm reception the President of the National Assembly expressed hope that his official visit to the Czech Republic would promote to more develop the bilateral relations. Hovik Abrahamyan noted that the Armenian side emphasized the development of relations in bilateral and multilateral formats with the Czech Republic, the reinforcement of the inter-parliamentary relations, as well as the cooperation in the international organizations. In his word, the Armenian authorities pay special attention to the EU Eastern Partnership programme and actively take part in its implementation. Mr Abrahamyan also highlighted the development of economic relations between the two countries, noting that in November an Armenian-Czech Business Forum would be held in Yerevan, which, to his conviction, would boost the economic cooperation. Highlighting Ms Nemcova’s proposal on developing the economic relations, the NA President noted that favourable conditions were created in Armenia for investments.

In the course of the meeting the sides touched upon the Armenian-Turkish relations, the Nagorno Karabakh problems, the Safarov case, the situation created in Syria and other issues concerning the regional problems. The sides emphasized the peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict within the OSCE Minsk Group format, underlining the inadmissibility of recommencing war and use of weapon. Mr Abrahamyan once again noted that Nagorno Karabakh could not be part of Azerbaijan, and the items of the NK situation and the NK people’s security were important for Armenia.

Ms Nemcova expressed readiness to develop the inner-state relations also within the European Union framework, which should stem from the formats of the cooperation of the European Union with Armenia. In her words, the Czech Republic and the countries of the European Union are for the solution of the conflicts through peaceful political negotiations and with that respect they welcome Armenia’s position.

In the meeting other issues of bilateral interest were also discussed, and the directions of further cooperation were pre-indicated.

Hovik Abrahamyan left a note in the Book of Honorable Guests.

On the same day in the Prague Prelacy the NA President had a meeting with the Archbishop of Prague, the Leader of Bohemia Diocese His Eminence Dominik Cardinal Duka. Hovik Abrahamyan highly appreciated the development of relations between Armenia and the Czech Republic in all directions and in this context he highlighted the cooperation of the Armenian Apostolic Church with the Czech Catholic Church, documenting with joy the effective cooperation between the spiritual leaders of the Czech Republic of the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Czech Catholic Church. He stressed with gratitude that through 7 years the Czech Catholic Church had provided St Jili Cathedral situated in the center of Prague for the Armenian liturgies and Holy masses. In his word, the NA President also touched upon the Safarov case and the regional problems.

Welcoming the Delegation of the National Assembly of Armenia, the Cardinal Duka highlighted the NA President’s visit to the Czech Republic. As a good friend of Armenia and Armenian people he underlined the necessity of strengthening and deepening of the Armenian-Czech friendship. The Cardinal Duka deemed invaluable the Armenian people’s contribution in the world spiritual and cultural heritage, particularly he highly appreciated the circumstance that the first translation of the Bible had been in Armenian. The Archbishop of Prague expressed willingness to support the process of recognition of the Armenian Genocide and promote all the initiatives, which could be useful for Armenia and Armenian people.

After the meeting Hovik Abrahamyan and the members of the Delegation took a tour in the Prague Prelacy and had been in the Representation Hall.

On the same day the NA President and the members of the delegation visited the Vitkov National Memorial, laid flowers at the Grave of the Unknown Soldier and took a tour in the Vitkov National Memorial.