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On April 3 the RA NA Speaker Samvel Nikoyan received the delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov. Welcoming the guest’s visit Mr Nikoyan considered symbolic that it was taking place on the day of the 20^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Armenia and Russia. IN the NA Speaker’s word, the partnership and strategic relations between the RA and RF, which are based on the friendship and brotherhood of the two countries and peoples, have their immediate expression in the inter-parliamentary relations, to which importance is given in Armenia and Russia.

Mr Nikoyan underlined the effective activity of the Inter-Parliamentary Committee on Cooperation between the RA NA and the RF Federal Assembly, noting it had been succeeded to provide not only persistence of works, but also considerable effectiveness, contributing to the deepening of bilateral cooperation in the humanitarian, cultural, educational, scientific, high technology and other spheres. The Committee also played big role in the establishment of relations between the regions of the two countries. The parties expressed confidence that also in future the Committee would continue and more enliven its persistent activity.

The RA Parliament Speaker expressed satisfaction in connection with cooperation of the parliamentarians of the two countries in international structures. In his word, the Armenian party attaches great importance to the activity of the CIS and CSTO Parliamentary Assemblies and actively takes part in the works being done within that framework. Mr Nikoyan has also highlighted the cooperation in the Inter-Parliamentary Union, OSCE, CoE Parliamentary Assemblies, noting that there are still big potential and directions in those structures for deepening the cooperation and making the works more coordinated.

The RA NA Speaker expressed confidence that the RF Foreign Minister’s present visit would give a new impetus to the Armenian-Russian relations, including the inter-parliamentary cooperation.

Thanking for the warm reception the RF Foreign Minister has noted this year is also the 15^th anniversary of the treaty signed between the RA and RF on Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Aid. He has expressed gratitude that these jubilees are celebrated with concrete works, noticing that progress is recorded in all spheres of the Armenian-Russian relations. The bilateral goods turnover, the volume of the investments, the quantity of the programmes being jointly implemented, including the nuclear energy, high technologies, tourism, agricultural, humanitarian, cultural and other spheres have been grown. The RF Foreign Minister greatly highlighted the inter-parliamentary joint work in the establishment of cooperation and further expansion, due to which the legislative basis of integration processes in the social security, as well as in economic and humanitarian spheres. He has highly appreciated the contribution that the RA and RF parliamentary delegations have in international corresponding structures, at the same time sharing the RA NA Speaker’s view that in that direction the cooperation still has a considerable potential and the necessity of rapprochement. The RF Foreign Minister emphasized the bilateral cooperation, as well as the reinforcement of cooperation in inter-parliamentary structures.

Thanking the Armenian MPs for their participation as observers in the elections held in Russia, Sergey Lavrov wished success in the parliamentary elections being held in Armenia, noting that the Russian party will have active involvement in different observation missions. He has highlighted the bilateral visits being frequently organized at the most different levels, during which new initiatives; new directions of cooperation are also born.

During the meeting the NA Deputy Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov and the Head of the RA NA Delegation in the PABSEC Gagik Minasyan also presented their views. The parties also touched upon the process of the Karabakh conflict settlement, the role of the Minsk Group, bilateral and other regional problems.