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On March 16, in the RA National Assembly the 46^th Meeting of the PABSEC Economic, Commercial, Technological and Environmental Affairs Committee was held. The representatives of the delegations, who arrived from Russia, Georgia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, Romania and Ukraine in Armenia, took part in the Meeting. At the beginning of the Meeting the agenda, and then the protocol of the 45^th Meeting held in Varna was approved.

The NA Vice President Hermine Naghdalyan had opening remarks at the Meeting, welcoming the guests in the RA National Assembly, highlighted the development of the regional cooperation and the creation of the atmosphere of the mutual trust. In her word, Mrs Naghdalyan touched upon the deepening of the political dialogue and the development of the trade-economic ties between the BSEC member states, which will promote the welfare of the peoples of the region. The NA Vice President has noted that though the direction of the activities of this structure is economic, but through this cooperation it is possible to create favourable environment in the region for the solution of not only economic, but also political, cultural, educational and other problems.

Militadis Makrygiannis, Deputy Secretary General in Charge of Organizational Matters, has noted that the theme of the 46^th Meeting of the PABSEC Economic, Commercial, Technological and Environmental Affairs Committee is “Problems of Refugees in the BSEC Member States – Economic Aspect.”

The Head of the Delegation of the RA National Assembly to PABSEC Gagik Minasyan delivered a report on the theme, welcomed the guests in parliament, and presented the problems in the country regarding the theme. In Gagik Minasyan’s word, about 360.000 Armenians immigrated Armenia from Azerbaijan as a consequence of Karabakh conflict, afterwards the number of the people not having a dwelling and having other social problems as a result of disastrous earthquake and firing of the borderline villages of Armenia.

In the hard period for the newly independent state a Committee on Refugee Affairs was established, in 1999 the RA Law on Refugees was passed, and in 2008 the National Assembly passed the RA Law on Refugees and Asylum, which is harmonized with the human rights international norms and documents.

Gagik Minasyan has documented that today Armenia belongs to the number of countries, which expressed their readiness to help the Syrian people, and beginning from 2012 our country received 17000 immigrants, being the third country receiving a big number of refugees after Sweden and Germany. Having non-solved problems connected with the immigrants from Azerbaijan, Armenia spends huge amount of financial means, continuing receiving the immigrants, but not getting any support from the international community.

Afterwards the representatives from Turkey, Greece, Romania, Ukraine, Russia and Bulgaria made reports, presenting the situation in their countries. The speakers raised the vital issues regarding the immigrated refugees to the region from Syria, Near East and Northern Africa, which related to the provision of asylum, the solution of the labour and social problems, the co-existence with the ethnic peoples of the country, the international public aid and the increase of the economic and financial burden of the receiving countries.

The debated reports were approved by the delegations participating in the Meeting.

The election of the Committee Chairman was postponed.

At the end of the Meeting the draft recommendations concerning the theme, the venue of holding the next Meeting and the new theme were discussed.