ARMENIAN AND RUSSIAN MPs ATTACH IMPORTANCE TO FASTEST POSSIBLE OPENING
OF LAND ROUTE FOR ARMENIA

YEREVAN, October 1 (Noyan Tapan). On October 1 – the first day of its
visit – the delegation headed by Sergei Mironov, Chairman of the
Federation Council of the RF Federal Assembly, had a private talk with
the RA NA Assembly Artur Baghdasarian and then met with Chairmen of
the RA standing committees, as well as leaders and members of the
factions. According to the NA PR Department, the meeting participants
condemned terrorism. It was noted that a commission was set up in the
RF Federal Assembly to investigate the facts of Beslan’s terrorism
becoming possible and its consequences in order to make an overall
analysis of what happened and to present the results to the
public. Addressing the strategic cooperation between the two
countries, the RA NA Chairman Artur Baghdasarian attached much
importance to the conference of the Armenian and Russian busissmen
organized under the aegis of the parliaments of the two countries in
Samara, as well as to the presentation of Armenia and the effective
work of the Armenian pavilion at the 8th Economic Forum in Saint
Petersburg. Inter-regional cooperation agreements were signed as a
result of the two conferences. The cooperation of the two parliaments
in the CIS Interparliamentaru Assembly and in international structures
was also mentioned as important. Special importance was attached to
the work of the Commission on Interparliamentary Cooperation whose
next session will be held in Moscow. In covering the
interparliamentary and trade and economic cooperation issues Sergei
Mironov attached significance to further developmewnt of the stratigic
cooperation. Speaking about the Armenian trucks accumulation as a
result of the strict measures introduced at the check point of the RF-
Georgia State Border after the terrorist act and Armenia’s factual
blockade, the sides considered it important to ensure security, as
well as to open this land route for Armenia as quickly as possible,
taking into account that another road connecting Aemenia to the big
world is almost impassible, and difficulties may arise with the
approach of winter. Vahan Hovannisian, Armenian Co-chairman of the
RA-RF Interparliamentary Cooperation Commission and Vice Chairman of
the RA NA, also touched upon the strict measurs being taken in Russia
after the terrorism with respect to the Armenians who are not citizens
of the RF but live and work there. He suggested to solve the problem
by granting a temporary status to them, which will guarantee their
security. At the end of the meeting Artur Baghdasarian and Sergei
Mironov signrd a joint statement in which the heads of the RA National
Assembly and the Federation Council of the RF Federal Assembly express
their deep codonlence over the victims of the terrorist acts in the RF
in August-September 2004, as well as their determination to carry on a
struggle against the international terrorism, condemning the cruel and
barbaric actions of the terrorists incompatible with humanity and
morality. An agreement was reached to continue developing further the
Armenian-Russian trade, economic, scientific, cultural, military and
industrial relations. Towards the end of the meeting at the
instructions of the RA NA Chairman Artur Baghdasarian, the Chairman of
the Federation Council of the RF FA Sergei Mironov was awarded a medal
of honor of the RA NA for his great contribution to the development of
the Armenian-Russian interparliamentary relations and strengthening of
the interparliamentary friendly links.