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On April 9 the RA National Assembly President Hovik Abrahamyan received the delegation of the President of the Chamber of Deputies of Romania Valeriu Zgonea.

Welcoming the guests’ visit to the National Assembly, Hovik Abrahamyan thanked them for visiting Armenia and taking part in the special sitting of the National Assembly convened on assuming the Office of the RA President Serzh Sargsyan. Noting that the cooperation of the two countries has a dynamic development, the Head of the parliament has noted that the current visit will promote the further reinforcement and development of the Armenian-Romanian friendly relations. “I fully hope that your present visit will be a splendid occasion not only for giving a new impetus to the Armenian-Romanian inter-parliamentary, as well as inner-state relations,” the NA President noted. In more enlivening of bilateral cooperation Hovik Abrahamyan greatly highlighted the necessity of rapprochement of inter-parliamentary relations at very different levels, as heads of parliaments, Friendship groups, committees, and staffs.

Thanking for the warm reception Valeriu Zgonea has noted that the participation in the RA President’s Inauguration ceremony is also one more evidence that the wish of the Romanian party to have firm relations with Armenia is big. He has also highlighted the necessity of further deepening of inter-parliamentary relations, noting that the very legislative structures create the favorable field of cooperation in other spheres, including in the sphere of economy. Valeriu Zgonea touched upon the perspectives that could be opened within the EU Eastern Partnership, expressing readiness to support and convey the Romanian experience of European integration. He noted the spheres, where the sides can effectively cooperate: sub-structures, information technologies, education, culture and agriculture. The President of the Chamber of Deputies of Romania informed his counterpart about the initiative of organizing of the Armenian-Romanian Business Forum, which, according to him, will give an opportunity to establish direct cooperation with business circles. In his turn Hovik Abrahamyan expressed readiness to support the organization of the Forum.

The NA President has noted that Armenia is rather active in the European integration processes and has recorded considerable progress. He has also emphasized the necessity of close cooperation of the two countries’ representatives in European structures, particularly in the framework of the European Union. In Hovik Abrahamyan’s word, the wish of the Armenian side is that Romania as an EU full member will have its positive involvement in deepening and further development of Armenia-EU relationship. He expressed hope that Romania will convey its successful experience of the EU membership to Armenia and will support the EU New Neighbourhood Policy Action Plan, as well as within the Eastern Partnership framework.

The sides also touched upon the regional problems. In particular, Hovik Abrahamyan presented the Armenian-Turkish relations’ development, where, in response to Armenia’s readiness of commencing diplomatic relations without preconditions, Turkey opposes the policy of preconditions, continuing to keep close the border with Armenia.

In the sphere of Armenia-Romania bilateral relations development the sides underscored the role of Romania’s respected and rather influential community, which has an active involvement in the social-political life of Romania.

In the course of the meeting the sides also touched upon other issues.