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Within the framework of the working visit to the European Parliament the delegation led by NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan met with the Vice President for the European Parliament László Tõkés , the Vice President of Euronest, Deputy Chairman of the European People’s Party Jarek Sarius-Volski, the Co-Chair of the EU-Armenia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, the head of the delegation of the European Parliament in Euronest Milan Cabinoch, as well as the head of the Euronest delegation in the European Parliament Christian Wigenin and the presidency, the Secretary General of the European People's Party (EPP), the deputy of the European Parliament Antonio Lopes Isturiz White.

During the meeting with the Vice President for the European Parliament László Tõkés the NA Speaker noted that Armenia highlighted the continuous deepening of cooperation with the European Uniion, especially within the framework of the initiative of the Eastern Partnership, which started in May 2009. It opens new perspectives in future with respect to establishing contractual relations envisaging more inclusive cooperation with the European Union, including the perspectives of associated agreement and creating free trade zone. Hovik Abrahamyan also emphasized the expansion of the cooperation of the European Parliament, national parliaments of EU member countries and the National Assembly of Armenia, the formation of the joint committees, the active work of the friendship groups. The NA Speaker documented that Armenia consecutively continued the policy directed to the development of democracy, in this context highlighting the active process of harmonizing the RA legislation with European standards. Mr. Abrahamyan proposed to involve the members of the National Assembly in the activity of the European Parliament, in the events of the inter-cultural dialogue. The NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan proposed to organize in Armenia meetings with the European Parliament-Eastern Partnership members, as well as an inter-cultural dialogue forum of the European Parliament.

The Vice President for the European Parliament László Tõkés highly assessed RA NA Speaker’s visit to the European Parliament, which would boost the inter-parliamentary and EU-Armenia partnership and emphasized in different formats Hovik Abrahamyan’s proposals to organize in Armenia forums promoting the cooperation and dialogue. He emphasized the need of the consecutive development of the democratic institutes in Armenia and becoming a forerunner of democratization in the region.

During the meeting regional problems were discussed, the need of the peaceful settlement of the conflicts was highlighted. In this context Mr. Abrahamyan expressed concern in connection with the violation of the frequent ceasefire by Azerbaijan in the contact-line, noting that it did not promote the regional security and the establishment of the peace. The sides also touched upon the opportunities of the Armenian-Turkish relations’ normalization.

On the same day the delegation led by NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan met with the  Vice President of Euronest, Deputy Chairman of the European People’s Party Jarek Sarius-Volski and the deputy of the European Parliament Trajan Ungureanu. The counterparts discussed issues of cooperation within the framework of Euronest. Mr. Abrahamyan noted that Armenia had active and constructive involvement in Euronest. Proposals on amending in the statute of Euronest were officially presented to the President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek, in particular, it is proposed to remove the item, which relates to the settlement of the conflicts. “Eastern Partnership is an initiative directed to cooperation, and not a format being involved with the conflicts,” Mr. Abrahamyan noted. In his conviction, the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly being at the phase of the formation while referring to the problems of the conflicts should act with the whole responsibility and distinctly assess its possibilities. Without such approach any action can result in opposite outcome and complicate the peaceful process of the settlement. The other amendment proposes the Armenian side to use the principle of consensus for national delegations in the issues of vital strategic significance.

Mr. Volski highly assessed the constructive activity of the Armenian delegation within the framework of the Parliamentary Assembly and noted that all the proposals, the above-mentioned are acceptable for them.

The NA Speaker proposed that in Armenia the next meeting of the dialogue of the European People’s Party with Christian churches, which can take place. The proposal was gladly accepted.

During the meeting the sides discussed the issue of participation of Belarus, as well as other issues of bilateral interest.

The next meeting of the delegation led by RA NA Speaker was with the delegation of EU-Armenia Parliamentary Cooperation Committee. In the course of the meeting the perspectives of Armenia-European Union partnership were discussed, the sides touched upon problems of regional security and cooperation.

Mr. Abrahamyan underlined that the European direction and the rapprochement was one of the priorities of the foreign and inner policy of the country. Armenia pays special attention to the development of its relations, on the bilateral bases of the European structures, as well as European countries. The NA Speaker expressed satisfaction in connection with the start of the Associated Agreement, which will open new perspectives with the European Union in establishing contractual relations envisaging more inclusive cooperation.

During the meeting issues concerning the settlement of the Karabakh problem and the Armenian-Turkish relations were discussed. The members of the delegation Vahan Hovhannisyan, Armen Rustamyan and Artak Zakaryan in detail answered the questions of the deputies of the European Parliament.

On the same day a meeting was held with the presidency of the delegation of the European Parliament in Euronest.

RA NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan noted that the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia welcomed and highlighted the creation of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly. Though the path of the formation goes on with difficulties, nevertheless we can record certain progress. Hovik Abrahamyan stressed that in the relations with the Eastern partner countries Armenia emphasized the principle of non-use of double standards and expressed hope that the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly would not become a new stage of lobbying based on the interests, but it would be an experimental field of real democratic reforms of the Eastern Partnership countries.

The Chairman of the delegation Christian Wigenin highly assessed Armenia’s constructive and active invlovement in the works of Euronest and expressed conviction that that partnership would develop and strengthened. He noted that Hovik Abrahamyan’s proposals, which related to the statute amendments, were acceptable by the delegation’s presidency. In Mr. Wigenin’s word the start of Euronest will be at the mid of autumn.

The last meeting of the Head of the Armneian Parliament was with the the Secretary General of the European People's Party Lopes Isturiz White.

The NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan emphasized the development of the inter-party relations, which would promote the deepening of cooperation with different formats. He proposed to discuss the issue of granting a status of observer the Republican Party of Armenia in the European People’s Party. As a step directed to the cooperation Hovik Abrahamyan proposed that on the issue of the Eastern Partnership Yerevan would become a venue of dialogue for the next meeting of the European People’s Party, as well as for the EPP Group with Christian churches.

Mr. Lopes Isturiz White also highlighted the need of the active cooperation between the parties and presented the procedure of the EPP membership. The EPP Secretary General highly assessed the NA Speaker’s cooperation proposals.

In the course of the meeting other issues of bilateral interest were also discussed.