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On November 16, the RA NA President Ara Babloyan received the President of the Senate of the Kingdom of The Netherlands Ankie Broekers-Knol.

Welcoming the President of the Dutch Senate in the RA National Assembly, Ara Babloyan has noted that the visit takes place in the 25^th year of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between the two countries and expressed hope that it would promote the deepening and development of the inter-state and inter-parliamentary ties.

Talking about passing into the processes following the constitutional reforms in Armenia and the system of the parliamentary government, Ara Babloyan highlighted the centuries-old experience of the parliamentary government of the Netherlands and considered instructive it in terms of the exchange of experience. The RA NA President has noted that Armenia with distinct walks goes to democracy and power decentralisation.

According to Ara Babloyan, Armenia is the only country, which being the EEU Member, is getting prepared to sign the Agreement with the EU, becoming a bridge between Europe and Asia.

The RA NA President thanked the Kingdom of The Netherlands for giving shelter to the emigrants, who had survived the Armenian Genocide, afterwards for accepting and condemning the Genocide, noting that the condemnation is a way of prevention.

Touching upon the NK conflict, Ara Babloyan has stated that different comments are given to this issue, but it is historically proved that the Armenians have lived on that territory and holding independence referendum, have gained independence. In the word of the Head of the parliament, the Artsakh people were considered to be the first that during the years of the Soviet Union voiced out loud the exercise of the right to the nations’ self-determination and protection of human rights.

Ara Babloyan documented: “We have no problem with the people of Azerbaijan. Our problem is to ensure the security of the Artsakh people, solving the issue under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs through the peaceful negotiations.”

Ara Babloyan expressed hope that Armenia and The Netherlands would deepen the cooperation in the spheres of education, health care and culture, contributing to their peoples’ peaceful and well-to-do life. The RA NA President has stated that the peoples’ security, health and education are of priority for the two countries.

The President of the Senate of the Kingdom of The Netherlands Ankie Broekers-Knol has noted it is a great honour for her to visit Armenia. In the word of the President of the Senate, Armenia has an important position in the region and can become a bridge between the East and the West, connecting peoples and countries to each other.

Ankie Broekers-Knol, as a President of the Senate of a country with parliamentary government, highlighted the constitutional reforms held in Armenia and the processes following them on the way of democracy development.

The President of the Dutch Senate presented in detail to the RA NA President the issues concerning the law-making activity in the country and the correlation of power and opposition in the government and the joint work over the legislative initiatives.

Mrs Ankie Broekers-Knol referred to the parliamentary elections held in The Netherlands in March of this year and the issues relating to the formation of the new, multi-party government.

The RA NA Vice President Arpine Hovhannisyan, the RA NA deputies Armenuhi Kyureghyan and Ararat Mirzoyan attended the meeting.

At the end of the meeting the President of the Dutch Senate left a note in the Book of the Honourable Guests of the RA National Assembly.

The President of the RA National Assembly Ara Babloyan and the President of the Senate of the Kingdom of The Netherlands Ankie Broekers-Knol planted a fir-tree in the RA National Assembly Park as a token of the two peoples’ everlasting friendship.