On November 19, the first joint sitting of the RA National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Relations and RF FA FC Committee on International Affairs (hereinafter Parties) was held.

During the meeting the general direction of the development and strengthening of cooperation and friendly relations between the Parties was approved, high assessment was given to the mechanism formed of the inter-parliamentary cooperation within the framework of the allied cooperation between the Republic of Armenia and the Russian Federation.

Discussing the perspectives of economic cooperation and development within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union, the integration dynamics and the economic expectations of the Parties:

The Parties highlight the development and deepening of economic integration for the implementation of the problems and goals of the Eurasian Economic Union as modern, effective and competitive integration union.

The Parties seek to create favourable conditions for the goods, services the formation of the free move of the capital and working force within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union for the benefit of the implementation of the coordinated, agreed or united policy in the spheres of the economy, which are established in the Eurasian Economic Union Treaty,

The Parties work for the further harmonization of the national legislation for the strengthening of the integration cooperation and additional growth of economy,

The Parties reaffirm the responsibility in clarifying the importance of the Eurasian Economic Union to the citizens of their countries as a mechanism of close cooperation of independent autonomous states and as understandable and attractive, stable long-term format for the citizens and business in the new economic platform. To achieve that goal the Parties provide considerable role to the regular exchange of the opinions on the issues arising mutual interest,

The Parties intend to continue the information work in the framework of the inter-parliamentary contacts and in the platforms of the international organizations, which directed at the public accessibility of the Eurasian economic integration ideas, the formation of the EEU united character, as well as clarify the importance of the ongoing integration processes during the contact with the parliamentarians and the public, promoting the EEU image component,

Discussing the regional security, the Armenian-Russian bilateral cooperation and the joint efforts for the benefit of the sustainable and peaceful development,

The Parties highlight the statement of the CSTO member states on Nagorno Karabakh problem adopted on October 14 of this year and approve the necessity of exclusively peaceful solution of Nagorno Karabakh problem on the basis of the international law norms, the UN Charter, the provisions of Helsinki Final Act, particularly the non-use of force or threat of force, the right to the peoples’ legal equality and self-determination and the states’ territorial integrity,

The Parties approve the topicality of the statement of the CSTO member countries on Nagorno Karabakh conflict signed in Yerevan on July 4 of this year,

The Parties underline the necessity of the rise of the parliamentary diplomacy role for the further support of the international efforts, which are aimed at the provision of the regional and international security, as well as the creation of the preservation of stability and the creation of the atmosphere of trust in the region,

The Parties intend to continue the information works in inter-parliamentary formats directed to the unreserved fulfillment of the termless agreements of 1994 and 1995 ceasefires,

The Parties highlight the agreements reached in the Summits in Vienna on May 16 of this year and in Saint Petersburg and consider inadmissible the escalation of the situation in the conflict zone,

The Parties back the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs directed to the stabilisation of the situation and the provision of the conditions for the peaceful process.

Discussing the inter-parliamentary cooperation in the international parliamentary platforms: the PACE, the OSCE PA, CSTO PA, IPA CIS, the Inter-Parliamentary Union/IPU, PABSEC,

The Parties underline the necessity of the coordination of the activities of the parliamentary delegations of the Republic of Armenia and the Russian Federation at international parliamentary platforms (PACE, OSCE PA, CSTO PA, IPA CIS, Inter-Parliamentary Union/IPU, PABSEC, etc), taking into consideration the allied obligations, aiming at the strengthening of the Armenian-Russian mutual influence and making agreed initiatives over the international topical main issues,

The Parties intend to activate the cooperation, aiming at counteracting the various initiatives and steps, which oppose the interests of the Parties’ state/states,

The Parties consider important the conducting of the coordinated work in the international parliamentary platforms, which is directed at the building of the relations with the parliamentarians of the world on the basis of the equality and security inseparability, as well as threat of force or the denial of its use in the international relations, acting with political-diplomatic methods,

The Parties highly assessed the inter-parliamentary ties, which serve as a function of an important mechanism in the elaboration and improvement of the Armenian-Russian allied relations for the provision of the rule-making development, as well as for the close cooperation within the framework of the CIS, CSTO and EEU, which opens wide opportunity in the implementation of the mutually beneficial initiatives and reaching success.

The Parties note the necessity of the further cooperation of the parliamentarians of the Republic of Armenia and the Russian Federation for the benefit of the legislative field harmonisation,

The Parties welcome the decision of the Inter-Parliamentary Union to hold the 137^th Assembly in Saint Petersburg in 2017,

The Parties attach importance to deepening of parliamentary cooperation between the Republic of Armenia and the Russian Federation, aiming at the further development of friendly and mutually beneficial ties in the political, social-economic, humanitarian and other spheres of mutual interest.

The Parties welcome the results of the debates and announce that they are ready to carry out consistent work for the benefit of the implementation of the decisions adopted within the framework of the Armenian-Russian inter-state cooperation,

The Parties agree that the joint sittings give additional impetus to the harmonization and development of the national legislation, as well as the improvement of the legal-applicable practice,

The Parties approve their interest and readiness for the regular organization of the joint parliamentary draft laws and events with the participation of the other parliamentary committees of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia and the Federal Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation,

The Parties will convene the next joint sitting in Moscow in 2017.

The Chair of the RA NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations

Artak Zakaryan

The Chair of the RF RA FC Committee on International Affairs

Konstantin Kosachov

19 November 2016, city of Yerevan