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On July 20 in Geneva within the framework of  the Third World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments RA NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan continued to have bilateral meetings with the Speakers of Parliaments of a number of countries.

During the meeting with the Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri Hovik Abrahamyan noted that the Armenian people’s relation with Lebanon comes from the centuries. The existence of the Armenian community has a history of centuries, and thanks to the brotherly attitude of the Lebanese people the Armenians could retain the rich national life and culture. Being citizens of Lebanon they had their tangible contribution in the development and prosperity of the country. The Speaker noted that Armenia highly assessed the balanced approach of the Lebanese Government in the settlement of the conflict and brotherly attitude towards the Lebanese Armenians.

During the meeting the Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament Philippos Petalnikos the RA NA Speaker highlighted the development of the inter-parliamentary relations and further deepening between the two countries, noting that the inter-parliamentary contacts were at sufficient level of the contacts and have big potential. In this context he considered necessary to enliven the mutual visits of the parliamentary delegations of Armenia and Greece, providing their continuous nature, as well as activate the activities of the parliamentary friendship groups. Hovik Abrahamyan considered necessary the rapprochement of the representatives of the parliaments of the two countries over the issues of bilateral interest in different international and regional organizations.

Mr. Petalnikos also emphasized the necessity of developing the cooperation between the two parliaments and noted that Greece-Armenia friendship was set up in the Hellenic Parliament. He expressed confidence that the activity of the group will essentially promote the enlivening of the inter-parliamentary relations. The Speaker of Hellenic Parliament reaffirmed his invitation to NA Speaker of paying official visit to Greece, underlining that it would be an important step in deepening the inter-state relations.

During the meeting issues concerning the regional developments were discussed too.

The next meeting of the NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan was with the Speaker of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Bahrain Ali Bin Saleh Al-Saleh. The NA Speaker emphasized the development of the relations with Bahrain in different spheres. The Agreement on Cooperation, which was signed between the parliaments of Bahrain and Armenia in 2005, became a basis for inter-parliamentary cooperation, and now the cooperation is important to develop in different directions. Hovik Abrahamyan highlighted the partnership in the international structures.

The Head of the Bahrain Parliament documented with satisfaction that the conference gave opportunity to meet the NA Speaker. He also emphasized the development of the inter-parliamentary relations and noted that a Parliamentary Friendship Group functions in the parliament of Bahrain, which promoted the cooperation in the international parliamentary structures over the international and regional issues of mutual interest. Both sides highlighted the activation in the sphere of economy, the business contacts. The counterparts touched upon the regional problems, considering necessary the establishment of stability and peace in the region. The NA Speaker and the Head of the Parliament of Bahrain addressed invitations of paying official visits in order to more strengthen the relations between the two countries.

During the meeting the Speaker of the People’s Assembly of the Arab Republic of Syria Mahmud al-Abrash the NA Speaker noted that Armenia and the Armenian people had the warmest feelings towards Syria, with which we were connected with historical-cultural common features and centuries-long friendship. The Armenian people will never forget the support that Syria showed to the thousands of sons, who survived the Genocide. Hovik Abrahamyan documented that the Armenian-Syrian relations today are at the high level, and the inter-state dozens of documents, which were signed on bilateral cooperation, and the high level contacts created firm basis for developing rapprochement between Yerevan and Damascus. Armenia is interested in deepening the cooperation in Armenian-Syrian political, trade-economic, scientific-cultural, educational and other spheres. Noting that Armenia-Syria Friendship Group functions in the Armenian Parliament, the NA Speaker highlighted the role of the friendship groups in the development of the inter-parliamentary relations. At Mahmud al-Abrash’s request Hovik Abrahamyan presented the Settlement process of the Karabakh issue, noting that in the 21^st century the conflicts should not be solved through military way. Our country is for the solution of the issue through peaceful negotiations within OSCE Minsk Group framework.

The Head of the Syrian Parliament highlighted the further development of cooperation between the two parliaments and said that in the Syrian Parliament a Parliamentary Friendship Group was set up too. He noted that Syria, as well as Armenia is a peaceful country and stressed the necessity of the peaceful settlement of the conflicts.

RA NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan met with the Speaker of the Council of the States of Switzerland Mrs. Erika Forster-Vanini. The NA President noted that Armenia highlighted the strengthening of the diverse cooperation with Switzerland. It was noted that the bilateral relations between the two countries continued to develop rather dynamically, and an inclusive agenda was formed. Hovik Abrahamyan highlighted the development of the inter-parliamentary cooperation for more close relations of the Armenian-Swiss bilateral relations and expressed satisfaction in connection with the deepening of the inter-parliamentary relations during the last two years, which was also conditioned by the effective activity of the Parliamentary Friendship groups functioning in the two parliaments. He thanked for the adoption of the resolution by the National Council of Switzerland on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide on December 16, 2003.

Erika Forster-Vanini stressed that Switzerland greatly emphasized the deepening of cooperation with Armenia. He noted that from now on the effective and sincere cooperation between Switzerland and Armenia would continue to deepen and expand. At the request of the Speaker of the Council of the States of Switzerland the NA Speaker in detail presented the current state of the Armenian-Turkish relations and the process of the Artsakh issue settlement. He noted that in contrary to Armenia Turkey proposed preconditions, which impeded the settlement of the relations.

During the meeting with the Speaker of the General Assembly and Senate of Uruguay Danilo Astori the NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan documented with satisfaction that the relations between the two countries permanently had positive procedure and there were all preconditions for the further development.

Hovik Abrahamyan stressed the importance of strengthening of the inter-parliamentary cooperation. One of the priorities in the further development and strengthening of the Armenian-Uruguayan relations was considered the expansion of the legal-contractual field. Emphasizing the role of the influential Armenian community in the Eastern Republic of Uruguay, the NA Speaker expressed satisfaction for the policy adopted by the authorities of the Eastern Republic of Uruguay towards Armenians. Taking into account the effective cooperation of the two countries in the international organizations the Head of the Armenian Parliament highlighted the further activation of the relations. Hovik Abrahamyan thanked for the adoption of the resolution on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Parliament of Uruguay and noted that Uruguay was the first country that officially condemned the Armenian Genocide.

The Speaker of the General Assembly and Senate of Uruguay Danilo Astori also considered necessary the deepening of the inter-parliamentary relations and the effective cooperation in the international structures.

The last meeting of the NA Speaker on July 20 was with the Speaker of the House of the Representatives of Japan Takahiro Yukomichi. Hovik Abrahamyan noted that Armenia attached importance to the consecutive development of the relations with the leading countries of the Asian-Pacific Ocean region, in particular, Japan, taking into account the in the issues of contribution of Japan in its region and creation of the international secure atmosphere in the world, economy and international trade, environment, as well as in rendering assistance to the developing countries. Mr. Abrahamyan noted that from July of this year the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia began to function in Tokyo, which would give new impetus to the development of the Armenian-Japanese relations. In the NA Speaker’s word, Armenia gives more importance to the involvement of Japan in the Caucasian Region and assesses Japan’s efforts for developing balanced and adequate relations with all states of our region. The NA Speaker documented with satisfaction that during the last years Armenia and Japan effectively cooperated in the international organizations over the issues concerning our countries. The Armenian Parliament highlights the boost of cooperation between the parliaments of the two countries. In this connection a Parliamentary Friendship Group with Japan has already been formed in the National Assembly of Armenia. Highly assessing the monetary programs being implemented in Armenia by the Government of Japan the NA Speaker emphasized the transition to more fully trade-economic cooperation and the implementation of joint investment programs.

The Head of the Japanese Parliament noted that Japan highlighted the deepening and strengthening of the relations with Armenia , to which the development of cooperation with the parliaments would promote. Both counterparts emphasized the cooperation in the international structures.