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On April 15, in the RA National Assembly the joint sitting of RA NA Standing Committee on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs and RF FA FC Committee on Defense and Security began its work, where representatives of the defense institutions, security services, the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs and scientific-educational and research organizations of the two countries took part.

Before beginning the sitting by Koryun Nahapetyan’s proposal the attendees observed a one minute silence and honoured the memory of our compatriots perished in Artsakh.

In his welcoming remarks the Chairman of the RA NA Standing Committee on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs has noted that the inter-parliamentary cooperation in the Armenian-Russian relations is of great importance and within this framework highlighted the strengthening of the ties between the parliamentary committees in the spheres of defense and security, the organization of the debates on urgent and topical issues.

Touching upon the military operations unleashed by Azerbaijan towards NKR at the beginning of April the Committee Chairman has documented that the Azerbaijan’s applied air force, heavy artillery and military weaponry, including Smerch and TOS-1 systems obtained from Russia. After the ceasefire of 1994, military operations of such scale were not registered. In his word, the Azerbaijani aggression has created an extremely dangerous situation for the whole region, and despite the agreement reached on the ceasefire of April 5, the Azerbaijani side continues violating it, using mine-throwers, bombers and snipers. The criminal actions that were carried out by Azerbaijan’s armed forces towards Artsakh people do not differ from the work style of the Islamic State and other terrorist organizations.

Koryun Nahapetyan has recorded with pain that in the created situation the international community mostly did not make any targeted statements. “We highly assess the role of Russia, as OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair in the negotiation process of Nagorno Karabakh conflict peaceful settlement. Russia’s mediation efforts in the agreement of the ceasefire were also significant. At the same time, the improvident and careless announcements of different high ranking officials arose negative responses among the Armenian public,” underlined Mr Nahapetyan and added that of the most important preconditions of peace, stability, rule of regional security is the maintenance of military balance. It has been noted that the recent events showed that the very slight breach of the balance can have grave consequences for the whole region. The speaker underlined that the assault armour sold to Azerbaijan has become a serious danger for the security of the CSTO member, the Republic of Armenia and by that completely for this organization. In the context of the challenges existing in the South Caucasus the Committee Chairman highlighted the expansion and strengthening of cooperation in the military-technical and military-industrial spheres, particularly within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union. He emphasized the necessity of opening of joint ventures, the deepening of the Armenian-Russian cooperation in the military-industrial sphere through the implementation of the research and innovative projects.

Koryun Nahapetyan also touched upon the increase of manifestation of international terrorism, extremism and xenophobia for the whole civilized world and highlighted the implementation of the coordinated new actions in that issue. He has added that there is a lot of evidence that a number of states, also including Turkey, finance and sponsor these terrorist and extremist organizations.

In his welcoming word the First Deputy Chairman of the RF FA FC Committee on Defense and Security Alexander Chekalin, highly assessing the continuity of the dialogue with friendly Armenia has noted that the bilateral ties effectively develop between the two countries in different spheres. To his assessment, such format of strengthening of parliamentary relations is a pledge of cooperation. Mr Chekalin has underlined that Russia considers Armenia as a cornerstone state on the CIS Territory and added that today’s meeting will give an effective impetus for further better large-scale cooperation.

At the first sitting which moderated Koryun Nahapetyan the theme "The Military-Political Situation in the South Caucasus" was discussed.

In the frames of the theme "The Developments of the Political Situation in South Caucasus" the Adviser to the CIS Department of the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs Gurgen Hovhannisyan, the Adviser of the RF Embassy to RA Alexander Vasilyev and the Director of Caucasus Institute Alexander Iskandaryan delivered speeches.

Gurgen Hovhannisyan talked about the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and the military operations unleashed by Azerbaijan during recent days.

Alexander Vasilyev touched upon the issues of information security, noting that it is hard to act in the real information “war” conditions. Mr Vasilyev referred to the anti-Russian channel being noticed among the media and the Armenian community during recent days, underscoring that Russia makes efforts in the solution of the regional problems. He emphasized the necessity of establishment of peace in the region and the reconciliation of both sides.

In Alexander Iskandaryan’s word, during recent days as a consequence of recorded cases in Nagorno Karabakh the risks have been abruptly increased. Mr Iskanadaryan has underlined that Azerbaijan’s steps were not news for the Armenian side, in recent days growth of escalation were recorded, which is very dangerous. He also touched upon the problem of information security, the volumes of arming the regional countries and its threats.

Afterwards the theme “The Military Cooperation of Armenia and Russia in the Context of Ensuring Security in the South Caucasus” was discussed moderated by Alexander Chekalin.

Within the framework of the theme the Deputy Head of the Department of Defense Policy of the RA Ministry of Defense Sergey Abrahamyan delivered a speech. He presented the legal-contractual bases of bilateral military and technical cooperation, touched upon the documents to be signed in future. Mr Abrahamyan presented to the participants of the sitting Azerbaijan’s large scale aggression unleashed towards Nagorno Karabakh at the beginning of April.

The Senior Assistant of the Military and Military-Air Attaché of the RF Embassy to the RA Andrey Beryozkin talked about holding the training of the Armenian and the conscripts in the RF military institutions and organizing of the armed forces’ training process.

The Commander of the 102^nd Military Station of the Southern Military Region Vladimir Ustinov has noted that the bilateral military cooperation takes place in natural way, aiming at providing mutual understanding, stability and peace in the region. It has been stated that specialists’ training and exchange of experience are carried out.

During the debates the parliamentarians touched upon the expansion of the Armenian-Russian military cooperation, activation of the joint activities in the CSTO, CIS and other structures, the steps taken to the provision of security in the South Caucasus, the military balance problems, the works of the anti-air defense united system creation, the organization of the military education and other issues. Both sides expressed readiness of continuing the cooperation. The Armenian MPs expressed their concern about the weapon sale to Azerbaijan by Russia and documented that Azerbaijan’s bellicose policy is a threat for the regional security. It has been that the Russian-Azerbaijani military cooperation cannot be implemented at the expense of security of Armenia and Artsakh.

Within the framework of the theme the Deputy Head of the Department of Defense Policy of the RA Ministry of Defense Sergey Abrahamyan delivered a speech. He presented the legal-contractual bases of bilateral military and technical cooperation, touched upon the documents to be signed in future. Mr Abrahamyan presented to the participants of the sitting Azerbaijan’s large scale aggression unleashed towards Nagorno Karabakh at the beginning of April.

The Senior Assistant of the Military and Military-Air Attaché of the RF Embassy to the RA Andrey Beryozkin talked about holding the training of the Armenian and the conscripts in the RF military institutions and organizing of the armed forces’ training process.

The Commander of the 102^nd Military Station of the Southern Military Region Vladimir Ustinov has noted that the bilateral military cooperation takes place in natural way, aiming at providing mutual understanding, stability and peace in the region. It has been stated that specialists’ training and exchange of experience are carried out.

During the debates the parliamentarians touched upon the expansion of the Armenian-Russian military cooperation, activation of the joint activities in the CSTO, CIS and other structures, the steps taken to the provision of security in the South Caucasus, the military balance problems, the works of the anti-air defense united system creation, the organization of the military education and other issues. Both sides expressed readiness of continuing the cooperation. The Armenian MPs expressed their concern about the weapon sale to Azerbaijan by Russia and documented that Azerbaijan’s bellicose policy is a threat for the regional security. It has been that the Russian-Azerbaijani military cooperation cannot be implemented at the expense of security of Armenia and Artsakh.

Within the framework of the theme the Deputy Head of the Department of Defense Policy of the RA Ministry of Defense Sergey Abrahamyan delivered a speech. He presented the legal-contractual bases of bilateral military and technical cooperation, touched upon the documents to be signed in future. Mr Abrahamyan presented to the participants of the sitting Azerbaijan’s large scale aggression unleashed towards Nagorno Karabakh at the beginning of April.

The Senior Assistant of the Military and Military-Air Attaché of the RF Embassy to the RA Andrey Beryozkin talked about holding the training of the Armenian and the conscripts in the RF military institutions and organizing of the armed forces’ training process.

The Commander of the 102^nd Military Station of the Southern Military Region Vladimir Ustinov has noted that the bilateral military cooperation takes place in natural way, aiming at providing mutual understanding, stability and peace in the region. It has been stated that specialists’ training and exchange of experience are carried out.

During the debates the parliamentarians touched upon the expansion of the Armenian-Russian military cooperation, activation of the joint activities in the CSTO, CIS and other structures, the steps taken to the provision of security in the South Caucasus, the military balance problems, the works of the anti-air defense united system creation, the organization of the military education and other issues. Both sides expressed readiness of continuing the cooperation. The Armenian MPs expressed their concern about the weapon sale to Azerbaijan by Russia and documented that Azerbaijan’s bellicose policy is a threat for the regional security. It has been that the Russian-Azerbaijani military cooperation cannot be implemented at the expense of security of Armenia and Artsakh.

The theme “The Parliamentary Support in the Further Deepening of Cooperation between Armenia and Russia in the Military-Technical and Military-Industrial Spheres: the New Opportunities in the EEC Framework” has been the key of the debate of the second sitting. Alexander Chekalin moderated at the sitting.

Within the framework of the theme the Deputy Head of the Department of Defense Policy of the RA Ministry of Defense Sergey Abrahamyan, the Commander of the 102^nd Military Station of the Southern Military Region Vladimir Ustinov delivered speeches.

The speakers touched upon the mechanisms of bilateral cooperation in the military-technical and military-industrial spheres, the steps taken within the framework of the Inter-governmental Commission, the ratification of bilateral treaties on military cooperation, the creation of joint ventures in the sphere, the refreshing and repair of the armament and weaponry and other issues.

At the third sitting moderated by Koryun Nahapetyan the theme “The counteraction to manifestation of international terrorism, extremism and xenophobia” was discussed. The Deputy Head of Division of the Constitutional Order and Terrorism Countering General Department of the RA National Security Service Samvel Harutyunyan, the Official Representative of the Federal Service of the RF Security to RA Andrey Smirnov and the Director of Noravank Foundation Gagik Harutyunyan presented their observations on the abovementioned theme. The speakers talked about the dangers of the activities of the terrorist groups, religious intolerance, touched upon the terrorist groups functioning in Syria, the possibility of their entering into the region and the preventive steps being taken in that direction, the legislative amendments in combating terrorism, extremism and xenophobia and highlighted the joint practical fighting against that international that evil.

Summing up the results Alexander Chekalin highlighted the work of the sitting and the further cooperation and the exchanges of experience in the legislation.

In his final word Koryun Nahapetyan thanked the participants of the sitting for effective debates. He underlined that all the countries concerned about the stability of the region should be worried about the situation created in the region. By Mr Nahapetyan’s assessment as military allies and parliamentarians of the CSTO member countries the Armenian and Russian MPs should be more discreet while ratifying the inter-state treaties threatening the security of the partner countries. In this context the Committee Chairman emphasized the mutually beneficial cooperation in bilateral, as well as multilateral formats.

He expressed conviction that the deepening of the Armenian-Russian parliamentary dialogue in the sphere of security and defense will give new quality to the works being done in these directions. The Committee Chairman has noted that, as a result of joint work there is an intention of adopting a joint statement.

After ending the joint sitting the Co-Chairs of the sitting Koryun Nahapetyan and Alexander Chekalin answered the journalists’ questions.