COOPERATION IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS HIGHLIGHTED

National Assembly of RA, Armenia
June 21 2006

On June 20, the members of the NA Standing Committee of Defence,
National Security and Internal Affairs met the delegation of the
Committee of Foreign Relations, Defence and Security Affairs of the
Senate of the Czech Republic.

Aramayis Grigoryan, Committee Chairman expressed conviction that the
visit is an important step in the development of the Armenian-Czech
relations. He considered important the cooperation between the
parliaments, relevant committees of tow countries. The cooperation was
considered useful in the international organizations in particular,
within the framework of CE and NATO, the experience of the Czech
Republic in the integration to the European structures and experience
exchange in the legislative field was highlighted. Mr. Grigoryan
introduced the activity of the committee, the current level of
Armenia-NATO relations. The cooperation in the spheres of defense
reforms, fight against terrorism, improvement of the legal field was
considered important with NATO. Mr. Grigoryan noted that Armenia joined
the process of planning and reviewing Partnership for Peace, as well
as the agreement on the status of the Armed Forces NATO-Partnership
for Peace.

Rostislav Slavotinek, Vice President of the Committee on Foreign
Relations, Defence and Security Affairs of the Senate of the
Czech Republic, expressed conviction that the visit will boost the
friendship and cooperation of two countries. The cooperation at the
level of committees in the sphere of inter-parliamentary cooperation
was highlighted. Mr. Slavotinek briefly presented the structure of the
Czech parliament, the committee’s functions, spheres, and touched upon
the peculiarities of the Czech army, reforms of the police system. It
was noted that the Czech parliament is bi-cameral and consists of
Deputies Chamber and Senate. The Senate is shaped by the principle
of majority electoral system, 81 MPs. The Czech army is professional
from January 1, 2005, and it has 30000 soldiers. Mr. Slavotinek noted
that in the Czech Republic a military university of having high quality
and proposed the Armenian side to send officers there for training.

During the meeting the sides touched upon the problems of regional
cooperation, highlighted the activation of parliamentary cooperation.

Other issues of bilateral interest were also discussed, the directions
of further cooperation were pointed out.