AMBASSADOR OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND IN THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

National Assembly of RA
Feb 4 2009
Armenia

On February 3 RA NA Speaker Mr Hovik Abrahamyan received Mr Charles
Lonsdale, Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland to Armenia.

Welcoming the Ambassador, the RA NA Speaker underlined the necessity
of activating and developing the inter-parliamentary relations and
highlighted the cooperation of parliamentary friendship groups,
exchange of experience in the legislative field and cooperation in
international structures. In this context the NA Speaker expressed
satisfaction for the support of the British delegation in PACE last
session.

Touching upon the inner-political situation of Armenia RA NA Speaker
Mr Hovik Abrahamyan highlighted the strengthening of stability in
the country and the mutual trust between the authorities and the
society. Mr Abrahamyan noted that from the first day of being elected
Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia he had
proposed that the parliament would be a rostrum of plurality and
constructive criticism for all political forces. Touching upon the
necessity of the amendment of Articles 225 and 300 of the Criminal
Code, he noted that a working group was set up headed by Mr Davit
Harutyunyan, Chairman of the RA NA Standing Committee on State and
Legal Affairs, which should present within a month amendments in
compliance with European standards. In this context touching upon
the problem of the detained persons after the March 1 events the NA
Speaker emphasized that nobody could be condemned for political views,
trial is going on.

The RA NA Speaker said that constructive reforms were underway, and
the parliament should completely implement the authorities reserved
by the Constitution.

Expressing gratitude for the meeting Ambassador Mr Charles Lonsdale
also highlighted the activation of inter-parliamentary relations,
noting the necessity of the development of cooperation of the
parliaments’ staffs in concrete directions.

At the end Mr Abrahamyan reaffirmed the invitation of the Speaker of
the House of Commons of Great Britain to Armenia.