The Cooperation Program With The National Assembly Discussed

THE COOPERATION PROGRAM WITH THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY DISCUSSED

National Assembly of RA
Aug 31 2007
Armenia

On August 29 the President of the National Assembly of the
Republic of Armenia Mr. Tigran Torosyan received Mr. Rudolf Perina,
U.S. Charge d’affaires a.i. in Armenia. The discussion of the program
of cooperation with the National Assembly, due to the presented
proposals beforehand, developed by the USA Embassy, and according to
the arrangement was the pivot of the meeting.

Mr. Perina noted that the National Assembly is one of the important
parts of democracy in Armenia and the USA Embassy wishes to be useful
as far as it is possible in the deepening of democracy activities.

Touching upon the proposed program, Mr. Tigran Torosyan, the President
of the National Assembly thanked for the immediate response and the
concrete proposals and has presented his considerations. In particular,
in the aspect of the educational visits of the Staff of the National
Assembly Mr. Tigran Torosyan, the President of the National Assembly,
highlighted the long-term business trips of the small groups of
people in comparison with the short-term business trips of the big
groups of employees, which will enable the deep and comprehensive
examination of the activity of the parliaments of other countries,
which will be purposeful and useful. The President of the National
Assembly emphasized the importance of creation of the opportunities
for education for the employees of the staff of the National Assembly
at universities of the USA.

The expansion of the opportunities of the library of the National
Assembly was also highlighted, in particular a program was proposed
to realize translation in the Armenian language and the edition of
some books, aiming to update the library of the National Assembly
by the foreign magazines and periodicals. Mr. Torosyan also touched
upon the necessity of the laws to be translated, and setting them
on the official site of the National Assembly and the necessity
of the qualified translation of the bills, expert conclusions and
other official documents, having emphasized the importance of the
assistance of the USA Embassy. The problem of preparation of the
expert conclusions of the draft laws of the laws has been especially
highlighted.

Mr. Torosyan has noted, that there are two ways for the solution of
that problem: business trip for 1-2 years to increasethe professional
qualification of the employees of the corresponding management or
the establishment of a center, where the best specialists of various
spheres will be includedon contractual base and on more attractive
conditions (there is a similar experience in the parliaments of other
countries, in particular in Poland). Mr. Torosyan has assessed the
role of the cooperation for the improvement of the works of the
National Assembly, noting that everything should be done for the
National Assembly to really become one of the influential centers
of democracy and political idea, as one of the important problems
ofArmenia is the realization of multi-party system and the deepening
of the knowledge of the political and party figures.

Mr. Rudolf Perina, U.S. Charge d’affaires a.i. in Armenia expressed
gratitude to the President of the National Assembly for the interesting
and efficient proposals,which should be additionally investigated
for their realization and specification of financial opportunities
according to requirements of the legislation of the USA. An arrangement
for one more meeting was achieved for the final specification of the
program of cooperation.

Highlighting the upcoming presidential elections through the
international standards, during the meeting, there was also a touch
upon the improvement works of the Electoral Code. Mr. Tigran Torosyan,
the President of the National Assembly noted that the conclusions of
the OSCE ODIHR and the CE Venice Commission have been already received
and studied, which will be debated at mid September.