TIGRAN TOROSYAN RECEIVED THE CHAIRMAN OF THE FRANCE-ARMENIA DEPUTY FRIENDSHIP GROUP

Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 28 2006

November 28 Armenian Parliament Speaker Tigran Torosyan received the
Chairman of the France-Armenia Deputy Friendship Group of the French
National Assembly Francois Rochebloine, member of the Group Alen Muan
Bursan and Secretary Jean Pierre Delanouaya.

Greeting the guests, the Parliament Speaker thanked for the efforts
for the sake of Armenia and the friendship between the two peoples,
as well as for the great assistance the French Parliament demonstrates
towards sensitive issues for Armenians, particularly the adoption of
the bill penalizing the negation of the Armenian Genocide.

The Chairman of the France-Armenia Deputy Friendship Group Francois
Rochebloine, who is paying his 15th visit to Armenia, emphasized the
great progress Armenia has registered ever since 1990s in all fields.

At the request of the guest, Tigran Torosyan presented Armenia’s
position on the settlement of the Karabakh issue and Turkey. The
Speaker noted that a favorable situation has been created: for
many years the principles of territorial integrity and the right
for self-determination were contradicting each other, now the
Minsk Group Co-Chairs are proposing a formula, where these two
principles are combined. Turning to the relations with Turkey,
Tigran Torosyan mentioned that Armenia stands for normal relations
without any preconditions. Turkey, however, sets preconditions, which
is unacceptable. Mr. Torosyan said that for a country aspiring to EU
membership having closed borders is inadmissable. It is not consistent
with any European principle or standard.

During the meeting reference was made also to the issues of cooperation
of Armenian and French delegations to PACE.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress