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On July 7 the official visit of the delegation led by the RA NA Speaker Galust Sahakyan to the Russian Federation continues.

In the morning the members of the delegation headed by the RA NA Speaker laid a wreath and flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in the Alexander Garden. Then the delegation headed for the RF State Duma.

After the private talk between the RA NA Speaker Galust Sahakyan and the Speaker of the RF State Duma Sergey Narishkin the meeting continued in an extended format. Welcoming the Armenian parliamentary delegation the Speaker of the RF State Duma Sergey Narishkin documented with satisfaction that the warm and friendly relations historically formed between the two countries increasingly become deeper and stronger. In his word, the high-level contacts of the Presidents testify to the strategic relations between the two countries. Congratulating Galust Sahakyan on being elected the Speaker of the RA National Assembly, the Speaker of the State Duma expressed conviction that the inter-parliamentary relations of the two countries will further develop and deepen, and in this context highly assessed the works of the Inter-parliamentary Committee. Sergey Narishkin welcomed and highlighted Armenia’s membership to the Eurasian Economic Union and noted that it would boost the further development and enlargement of trade-economic ties. The Speaker of the State Duma also deemed important the deepening of cooperation on different international platforms. The Russian side also proposed to activate the cooperation with the Parliaments of the Eurasian Economic Union member countries.

Thanking for the invitation and warm reception the NA Speaker Galust Sahakyan highly assessed the interstate relations with Russia, expressing conviction that the Armenian-Russian relations make progress. In his word, Armenia and Russia strategic partnership is based not only on nowadays mutually beneficial cooperation, but also the centuries-old friendship between the two brotherly peoples, cultural and spiritual intimacy. The NA Speaker noted that the parliamentary format is one of the important components of interstate relations. “During recent years the level of bilateral inter-parliamentary cooperation has noticeably risen, and the meetings organized in different formats give a new impetus and create wide opportunities for the further development of inter-parliamentary cooperation,” said Galust Sahakyan. He has also deemed important the activity of the Inter-parliamentary Committee, which has been effectively coordinating the relationship between the RA NA and the RF Federal Assembly for many years.

In the context of the interstate relations the NA Speaker highlighted the expansion of bilateral trade-economic ties, investment promotion, and effective cooperation in the humanitarian sphere. By his conviction, the railway restoration linking our two countries will be the most important impetus for further perspectives of economic cooperation. Touching upon the regional problems the NA Speaker underscored Russia’s constructive role in the provision of regional security, particularly, in the process of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement. Referring to Armenia’s accession to the Eurasian Integration process, Galust Sahakyan noted that it will create new mutually beneficial perspectives for all the member states.

Galust Sahakyan noted that the year 2015 sees the 100^th anniversary of the Genocide and among other events an international forum titled “The Parliamentarians Against Genocide” will be held in April in Yerevan. He invited Sergey Narishkin to take part in the abovementioned forum, as well as in the commemoration events dedicated to the Genocide victims to be held in Yerevan on April 24. He expressed hope that the State Duman will correspondingly refer to that crime against humanity, and an exhibition dedicated to the Genocide will be organized in the State Duma. “I also believe that the first Genocide of the 20^th century together with fascism shall be duly included in history textbooks,” noted the NA Speaker.

In the course of the meeting the sides touched upon other issues of bilateral interest.