AMBASSADOR OF LATVIA TO ARMENIA IN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

National Assembly of RA, Armenia
Oct 3 2006

On October 2 Mr. Tigran Torosyan, President of the National Assembly,
received Mr. Aivars Vovers, Ambassador of Latvia to Armenia.

During the meeting the issues related to the Armenian-Latvian
inter-parliamentary ties were discussed. Mr. Tigran Torosyan, President
of the National Assembly, noted that the good inter-parliamentary
relations between the two countries still have unexercised
opportunities for the development. It was noted that Armenia declared
the European integration as a strategic goal, and especially given the
Latvian experience accumulated on the way of accession to the European
Union (EU) will be very productive, taking into account that the Baltic
republics are former Soviet countries in legislative as well as in
institutional aspects. Both parties stressed the cooperation within
international structures during the meeting. The NA President Tigran
Torosyan gave an example of the productive work with the delegations
of the Baltic countries in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe (PACE).

Touching upon the New Neighbourhood programme of the European Union
within the framework of which the signing of an agreement with Armenia
is envisaged during these days, Mr. Aivars Vovers, Ambassador of
Latvia to Armenia, noted that it will create new opportunities for the
implementation of the joint programmes. He informed the NA President
about the parliamentary elections, which will be held in Latvia this
week, noting that, according to the opinion polls, great changes are
not expected. The Ambassador assured that after the parliamentary
elections a Parliamentary Friendship Group with Armenia also will be
set up in the Latvian Parliament, which has been an important link
of inter-parliamentary cooperation during these years in the context
of meetings and discussions. He reaffirmed the invitation of the NA
President’s official visit to Latvia.

During the meeting other issues of mutual importance were also
discussed.