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On March 19, the joint sitting of the RA NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations and the Foreign and European Union Affairs Committee of the Senate of Poland co-chaired by Armen Ashotyan and Marek Rocki was held.

Welcoming the Polish delegation in the Parliament of Armenia from the RA NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee Chair has assured that the goal of the joint sitting is to more develop and strengthen the relations existing between the two countries and peoples. Noting that as Poland, so Armenia has always struggled for having independent statehood, he has documented that our country, being historically and geographically in a a complicated region, knows very well the price of independence. Touching upon the RA foreign policy agenda, the Committee Chair has underlined it is diverse and full.

In his word. Marek Rocki highlighted the implementation of the programmes and holding of such discussions at different levels. The speaker has also emphasized the peoples’ aspiration of building independence, noting that the Polish people also know the price of independence. Marek Rocki also talked about Polish Armenian community, noting that more than 600 years ago the Armenians have settled in Poland and have great role in the life of their country.

Armen Ashotyan and the Deputy Chair of the Foreign and European Union Affairs Committee of the Senate of Poland Waldemar Slugocki delivered speeches within the framework of the theme Armenia-European Union: Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership .

Armen Ashotyan underlined that by the RA-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership a new beginning had been laid on for the RA-EU relations. The Committee Chair in detail presented the main directions of the Agreement.

The Committee Chair has underlined that the signing of the Agreement has also been highly assessed by the European political circles, as Armenia is the first country that joins the EEU and has such programme of cooperation with the EU. “This is observed as a history of success for both European Union and Armenia. The foreign policy of our country is not built on the contradiction of interests, being led by the national and state interests, our country builds relations with the world main players,” Armen Ashotyan said.

The speaker expressed hope that the Parliament of Poland would ratify the RA-EU Agreement in the possible short term. Marek Rocki in his turn assured that the Agreement would be ratified in the Parliament of Poland by the established order.

In Waldemar Sługocki’s word, the signing of the RA-EU Agreement is one of the first and important steps of building relations with the EU. He has noted that Poland as one of the founder countries of the Eastern Partnership is concerned over the fluent transition of the phases of the Partnership member countries for joining the EU. He has expressed hope that the Armenian-Polish developing relations in their turn will promote the integration of Armenia with the EU and has underlined that Poland is ready to support.

Within the next theme of the agenda regional Security Problems: Cooperation and Stability in South Caucasus the member of the RA NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations Armen Rustamyan and the Deputy Chair of the Foreign and European Union Affairs Committee of the Senate of Poland Jaroslaw Obremski expressed their positions.

In Armen Rustamyan’s word, the nowadays challenges of the regional security are conditioned by the fact that as a consequence of geo-political rearrangements new threats of security and stability emerged.

The MP has touched upon militarization process of Azerbaijan, documenting that Azerbaijan began and obviously continued to violate the Treaty on the Ordinary Armed Forces in Europe , 2011 Vienna document, by which the fulfillment of the assumed obligations is checked, the rules of procedure of the OSCE security military-political behaviour, the document on information universal exchange, etc which is of fundamental importance for the OSCE mission,

“They should finally understand in Azerbaijan that the wish to bring back Artsakh to Azerbaijan is the same as to restore the USSR or rise from the dead Stalin,” the speaker recorded.

By Armen Rustamyan’s assessment, Erdogan-Aliev Turkish-Azerbaijani tandem, being led by the neo-Osmanism strategy, today is the most important threat of the security and stability of the South Caucasus region.

Jaroslaw Obremski touched upon the regional security problems in the context of geo-political changes, talked about the role and importance of regional countries in this issue and the policy pursued by the law enforcement centres.

The Deputy Chairs of the Foreign and European Union Affairs Committee of the Senate of teh Republic of Poland Jan Dobrzyński and Ryszard Majer and the Chair of the RA NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations Shirak Torosyan delivered speeches within the framework of the theme Armenian-Polish Relations .

Jan Dobrzyński and Shirak Torosyan touched upon the successful procedure of the diplomatic relations between the two states, the tendencies of the development of bilateral ties, the activities of the Polish Armenian community and talked about the importance of the mutual visits. It has been stressed that the cooperation between the two states effectively works and the further deepening of the ties in different spheres was emphasized.

Regarding the peaceful settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the MP highlighted the balanced position of Poland in consonance with the principles of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

“You can see us as your Ambassador in the European Union,” Ryszard Majer underlined.

During the discussions the sides touched upon the boosting of cooperation between the Committees, the activation of ties in different spheres, the activities of the Polish Armenian community, military-technical cooperation and other issues of bilateral interest.

At the end of the meeting the Chair of the RA NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations Armen Ashotyan and the Chair of the Foreign and European Union Affairs Committee of the Senate of Poland Marek Rocki signed a joint statement.

The results of the sitting were summed at the joint press conference of Armen Ashotyan and Marek Rocki.

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 JOINT STATEMENT

BETWEEN THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA AND THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AND EUROPEAN UNION AFFAIRS OF THE SENATE OF THE REPUBLIC OF POLAND

March 19, 2018

Yerevan, Republic of Armenia

On March 19, 2018 the joint sitting of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia and the Committee on Foreign and European Union Affairs of the Senate of the Republic of Poland took place in Yerevan.

During the meeting the parties highlighted the friendly relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Poland, close inter-parliamentary cooperation and strengthening of existing relations.

The parties expressed conviction that the cooperation between the two committees will promote the deepening and strengthening of bilateral ties between the parliaments of the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Poland.

The parties highlighted the exchange of experience within the framework of legislative activities, holding joint discussions in the spheres of mutual interest as an importance of strengthening the existing relations between the parliaments of the two countries.

The sides underlined the importance of bilateral cooperation on the basis of equality, partnership and mutually beneficial cooperation through joint hearings, mutual visits, active cooperation on international platforms, strengthening of democracy and joint initiatives on the issues of mutual interest.

The parties emphasized the signing of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement between the Republic of Armenia and the European Union on November 24, 2017 and welcomed the existing dialogue between the Republic of Armenia and the European Union as well as the results of the agreements reached within the framework of the agreement.

The parties announced to make efforts to achieve the goals set out in the framework of the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement.

Discussing regional security issues, particularly security issues in the South Caucasus, the parties highlighted the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. In this context, the sides reaffirmed their unconditional support to the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and to the core principles of the Helsinki Final Act, as it is set out in the Preamble of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement, i.e. non-use of force or threat of force, territorial integrity of states and equal rights of peoples and the right to self-determination.

In this context, the sides highlighted the need to enhance the role of parliamentary diplomacy for further international efforts aimed at ensuring regional and international security, as well as creating an atmosphere of stability and trust in the region.

In the process of settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the parties found that any action or military rhetoric is unacceptable, which can contribute to the aggravation of the situation in the conflict zone.

The parties also stressed the importance of implementing coordinated works on international parliamentary platforms aimed at preventing the use of force or threat of force in international relations, considering the use of diplomatic and political tools as a priority.

The sides welcomed the results of the joint sitting and stated that they were ready to work consistently to implement the decisions regarding the Armenian-Polish cooperation.

The Parties confirmed their interests and readiness for periodic organization of joint parliamentary projects and activities between the relevant parliamentary committees of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia and the Senate of the Republic of Poland.

The Parties agreed that the next joint session will be convened in 2019 in Warsaw.

ARMEN ASHOTYAN                                                        MAREK ROCKI

Chairman                                                                              Chairman

Standing Committee                                                             Committee on Foreign Affairs

on Foreign Relations                                                            and European Union      

of the National Assembly                                                     of the Senate

of the Republic of Armenia                                                  of the Republic of Poland