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| 16:13:00 | 24-05-2005 | Official |

FIRST MEETINGS IN BELGIUM

Formal visit of Armenian National Assembly Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan to
the Benelux states is going on.

In Brussels the Armenian delegation met with the representatives of the
diplomatic missions and various international organizations including the
Eurasia Foundation, Institute of Open Society, European Office on Human
Rights, European Commission, European Center of Civic Studies as well as
with the representatives of Turkey, Ukranine, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria and other
EU states.

During the meeting the parties discussed the issues referring to the
democratic reforms in Armenia, relations with the neighbors as well as the
regional cooperation and the Karabakh conflict settlement process.

Arthur Baghdasaryan stated that the democratic processes in Armenia are
irrevocable and cover all the fields of public life. In part, the meeting
participants touched upon the constitutional reforms, Election Code and the
law `On Rallies, Meetings, Marches and Demonstrations’

One parliament for Caucasus

Arthur Baghdasaryan noted that Armenia is for the establishment of normal
relations with all the neighbors and the formation of parliamentary congress
on the basis of the functioning parliamentary initiative could become a
considerable contribution to the development of political, economic,
scientific and cultural ties.

Compromise in certain frames

As for the Karabakh conflict settlement it was noted that Armenia adheres to
the peaceful resolution of the problem. Justice Bloc member Aram Sargsyan
noted that the people of Karabakh started struggle for independence and took
all the measures in accord with the international law.

Representative of the Turkish Embassy in his turn states that Armenia does
not acknowledge Turkey’s borders and besides the Constitution mentions of
Eastern Armenia. The RA NA Chairman assures that no mention of the kind
exists in the Constitution and one can make certain of that by visiting the
appropriate website. `We consider that the relations with Turkey should be
normalized without any preconditions. We should live in peace, face the
future and think about the coming generations’, Arthur Baghdasaryan said
adding that Armenia does not protest against Turkey’s accession to the EU
but speaks against double standards.
From: Baghdasarian