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On May 26 the Head of the Parliament Galust Sahakyan met with Leo Housakos, the Speaker of the Senate of Canada.

The Speaker of the RA National Assembly Galust Sahakyan expressed his gratitude to his counterpart for the invitation and warm reception. Talking about the relations between the two countries, the Head of the Parliament has noted that since 1992 when diplomatic relations were established, the two countries’ authorities have developed their friendly relations year by year. To Galust Sahakyan’s conviction, the time has come for outline and implementation of the new phase for parliamentary cooperation.

The NA Speaker presented to Leo Housakos the initiative of the RA National Assembly, with which the process of creating parliamentary commissions on prevention and condemnation of genocides launched. Galust Sahakyan has stated that soon when the Parliament of Armenia fully completes that process, he is going to address, with a special proposal, to the parliaments of the advanced countries of the world with the creation of similar commissions.

Galust Sahakyan also detailed on the Artsakh conflict. He has noted with pain that almost every day the ceasefire regime is violated by Azerbaijan, as a consequence of which both sides often suffer casualties. The Speaker of the National Assembly reaffirmed Armenia's position of the Artsakh conflict settlement in peaceful way.

Galust Sahakyan has documented with satisfaction that Canada displays balanced approach in the Nagorno Karabakh issue.

Speaking about the recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide, the NA Speaker noted: “The recognition and condemnation of genocides should not be observed within the framework of the political issues. It is high time not the politics had an impact on civilization in such issues, but on the contrary, the civilization had an impact on the politics.”

The Speaker of the Senate of Canada Leo Housakos thanked Galust Sahakyan for accepting the invitation and visiting Canada. In the course of the meeting the delegation took a tour in the Senate and got acquainted with the procedures of its activities.

The delegation led by the RA NA Speaker, which consists of the deputies Vahram Baghdasaryan, Hovhannes Sahakyan, Ruzanna Muradyan, Artak Zakaryan, Tevan Poghosyan, Ishkhan Khachatryan, Hrant Bagratyan, Lyova Khachatryan and Aghvan Vardanyan have had also meetings with Jason Kenney, Minister of National Defense and Minister for Multiculturalism, who is known in Canada for his contribution to the recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide in the world. The delegation also met with the members of the Canada-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group.

An official dinner was given by the Speaker of the Senate of Canada in the honor of the Armenian Delegation.