AMBASSADOR OF INDIA IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

National Assembly of RA
Oct 30 2008
Armenia

On October 29 RA NA Speaker Mr Hovik Abrahamyan received the Ambassador
of India to Armenia Mrs Rina Pandey.

Touching upon the Armenian-Indian centuries-old friendship, the NA
Speaker noted that India is not only an influential member of the
international community, but also a traditional friend, with whom
the Armenians had close connection during the history beginning
from the 15th century. Mr Abrahamyan highlighted the development
of inter-parliamentary relations, noting within that framework that
in the National Assembly a parliamentary friendship group with the
Indian Parliament was set up. NA Speaker invited the Speaker of
the Indian Parliament, expressing confidence that the mutual visits
are an opportunity for making closer the cooperation. Mr Abrahamyan
expressed satisfaction that India always had balanced position in
Nagorno Karabakh issue, being for the settlement of the conflict
through peaceful means, through negotiations in the context of
international security. It was noted that Armenia had unchangeable
position regarding the Kashmir problem and repeatedly announced
that he defended the settlement of the problem through bilateral
negotiations. NA Speaker expressed confidence to activate more the
economic, scientific-cultural relations of the two countries and
expressed confidence for the opportunity given for the training of
the Armenian specialists within ITEC programme framework, where the
NA employees were also included.

The Ambassador of India to Armenia Mrs Rina Pandey congratulated
the NA Speaker for being elected in that post and conveyed the
congratulatory message of Mr Somnath Chatterjee, Speaker of the
Indian Parliament. The Ambassador is also for the activation of the
inter-parliamentary relations and hopes that those relations will
receive a new quality by the head of NA Speaker: in this issue the
Indian side is also interested in it. Highlighting the development
of the inter-parliamentary relations with Armenia, which adopted the
path of the democracy development, the Ambassador touched upon the
necessity of the mutual visits. The Ambassador informed the NA Speaker
that during the last period the Indian businessmen had repeatedly
been in Armenia to study on spot the possibilities of economic
cooperation and wished to make investments in Armenia. In December
an Indian-Armenian business forum would be held in Delhi. During the
last four years the goods turnover between the two countries had been
increased four-folded. Besides, in February 2009 a week of the Armenian
culture is planned to be organized in Delhi. In the third city of Delhi
a street was named Armenia, which the Indians accepted with great joy.

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