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On September 30 the RA NA Speaker Galust Sahakyan received the delegation led by the President of Greece Karolos Papoulias. Welcoming the high-ranking guests in the RA National Assembly, Galust Sahakyan has noted that the Armenian and Greek peoples’ friendship is conditioned by the mutual respect coming from the depth of centuries, common historical past, commonalities of spiritual and cultural values and national features. In the RA NA Speaker’s opinion, the visit of the President of Greece to Armenia will also promote further deepening of the Armenian-Greek friendship and political dialogue.

The RA NA Speaker has mentioned that Armenia reserves a special role to the development and further expansion of relations between the legislative bodies in the extension and deepening of the Armenian-Greek inter-state cooperation. He has documented with satisfaction that today the Armenian-Greek inter-parliamentary relations are rather actively developing. There function Parliamentary Friendship Groups in the parliaments of the two countries, but there is a necessity of intensifying their activities and activating the delegations’ mutual visits, as well as an expectation that the cooperation between the Parliamentary Friendship Groups will develop with the same efficiency, continuing the already formed tradition.

According to the RA NA Speaker, Armenia is concerned in boosting the inter-parliamentary cooperation not only at the bilateral but also multilateral level, and pays special attention to the cooperation in different international and regional platforms of mainly the friendly delegations of the Council of Europe, OSCE, NATO, BSEC, as well as in Euronest.

Galust Sahakyan has noted that the activity of the Head of the Greek Delegation to the PACE Dora Bakoyanis, due to whose efforts a document on Nagorno Karabakh conflict was put into circulation. It has been done without consulting with the Armenian Delegation. In the opinion of the Head of the parliament, the moving the NK conflict peaceful settlement discussions to the Council of Europe platform is dangerous, and will greatly harm the peaceful settlement process.

The RA NA Speaker has mentioned that the challenges the two countries are facing: the positions of Armenia and Greece over the problems of Nagorno Karabakh and Cyprus do not contradict each other, and stemming from it the Armenian side has always shown its permanent support in the processes of the Cyprus problem settlement and expects a similar support from the Greek side in the NK issue.

In the RA NA Speaker’s word, Armenia highlights the cooperation with Greece also in the format of relations with the European Union and is resolute to continuously deepen and extend the relations with the European Union.

Galust Sahakyan has expressed concern over the events taking place in the Middle East, particularly, in Syria and Iraq, which endanger the Eastern Christian civilization. He has documented that the Armenian and Greek nations cannot live in peace, when their compatriots suffer, and who have become the victims of extremists and some states backing them. Greece and Armenia should make united efforts in helping the Christians living in the Middle East.

Talking about the NK conflict, Galust Sahakyan has noted that the Armenian authorities seek to solve it through peaceful means under the aegis of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. That is the only admissible format for the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement. The unleashed and year by year intensifying accumulation of armament by Azerbaijan is a serious threat not only to the South Caucasus, but also to the security and stability of the whole region.

Referring to the Armenia-Turkey relations, the RA NA Speaker has noted that the regulation of those relations is important not only in the regional, but also in the international context, and it is known for the international community that Armenia has always come up with constructive initiatives.

Speaking about the centenary of the Armenian Genocide, Galust Sahakyan has stressed with gratitude that the Hellenic Parliament has been among the firsts to recognize the Armenian Genocide and has thanked them for the adoption of the bill defining criminal responsibility for denying genocides by the Hellenic Parliament on September 9, 2014. Galust Sahakyan has stated that the presence of the high ranking officials of Greece in the events to be organized in 2015 will be the most speaking evidence of the Greek people’s selfless devotion to the all-human values.

Thanking for the reception, the President of the Republic of Greece Karolos Papoulias has talked about the Greek and the Armenian nations’ centuries-old friendship. He has noted that through many centuries the two peoples have backed and supported each other, fighting against common enemies. Touching upon the NK conflict, the President of the Republic of Greece has mentioned that the position of Greece is distinct towards that issue, and Mrs Dora Bakoyanis has deviated from the official position of the state, and that approach will be condemned by the Greek Government.

The President of Greece has noted that both the Armenians and the Greeks wish to preserve civilized relations with neighbouring countries though not always successfully.

Karolos Papoulias has highlighted the role of the parliamentary diplomacy in deepening of cooperation between the two states. He has considered the military cooperation of the two states to be exemplary and has noted that there is still a lot to be done in the sphere of trade-economic cooperation. In the opinion of the President of Greece, his visit will also contribute to the rapprochement of friendship and cooperation between Greece and Armenia.