BRITISH HOUSE OF LORDS MARKS 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIA’S INDEPENDENCE
Arka News Agency, Armenia
Dec 11 2006
YEREVAN, December 11. /ARKA/. The House of Lords of the British
Parliament celebrated the 15th anniversary of Armenia’s independence.
The celebrations were organized by the British-Armenian parliamentary
cooperation group and the RA Embassy in Great Britain.
RA Deputy Foreign Minister Armen Kirakosyan was the keynoter.
Attending the meeting were British parliamentarians, Foreign Office
representatives, officials of the London Municipality, members of the
Armenian community, citizens showing interest in Armenia and foreign
diplomats in London.
Speaking at the meeting chaired by Baroness Caroline Cox were RA
Ambassador to Great Britain Vahe Gabrielyan, members of the House
of Lords, Lord Eiwebrin and Lord Shacon, the member of the House of
Commons Padi Tiping. The speakers addressed further development of
bilateral relations and expressed their willingness to contribute to
this process.
Kirakosyan addressed the history of Armenian-British relations, the
pro-Armenian policy of the British political figures in the 19th-20th
centuries. He presented Armenia’s achievements during the period of
independence, stressing economic growth, transition of market economy,
possibilities of developing cooperation under the Armenia-EU program of
action, EU New Neighborhood Policy. Kirakosyan emphasized the Armenian
Diaspora’s role in assisting Armenia since it gained independence,
as well as the establishment and consolidation of friendly relations
between Armenia and other countries.
Kirakosyan presented his books to the libraries of the British
Parliament’s Houses.
On December 6, Arman Kirakosyan held a meeting with the British
Foreign Ministry officials in charge of the Caucasus, Central Asia
and Russia. The sides discussed issues of bilateral relations in the
South Caucasus, Armenian-British cooperation within international
organizations.