RA NA CHAIRMAN EMPHASIZES GREAT ROLE OF STATE DUMA IN SOLUTION OF
ISSUE OF LEGAL STATUS OF ARMENIANS LIVING IN RUSSIA

MOSCOW, APRIL 14, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenian-Russian interstate and
interparliamentary problems, issues of cooperation in international
organizations were discussed with the members of the Committee on CIS
Affairs and Relations with Compatriots of the RF State Duma at the
April 13 meeting of Artur Baghdasarian, the Armenian NA Chiarman. As
Noyan Tapan was informed from the NA Public Relations Department,
Artur Baghdasarian attached importance to the great role of the State
Duma in solving the issue of the legal status of Armenians living in
Russia, particularly issue on giving them right of 90 days of
residence without visa. This right can be provided either by adopting
a law or signing an agreement. MPs of the State Duma were interested
in the NA Chairman’s opinion concerning sending an Armenian military
unit to Iraq. According to Artur Baghdasarian, Armenia joined the
antiterrorism coalition and sent his professionals on humanitarian
mission to Iraq. Proceeding from the importance of the issue, Armenia
could not reject going to meet USA, which had provided aid to Armenia
worth more than one billion dollars since its independence. So the
problem had both political and economic significance. Issues of the
future fate of CIS, possibilities of carrying out concret programs
within of scientific-educational, cultural cooperation between the two
countries were also discussed at the meeting. The issue of making
definite the legal status of Armenians living in Russia and secure of
90 days residence without visa, which requires legal solutions, were
also discussed at the NA Chairman’s meeting with Igor Levitin, the
Co-Chairman of Armenia-Russia Intergovernment Committee, the RF
Transport Minister.