RA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SPEAKER HOVIK ABRAHAMYAN RECEIVES THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION OF LA FRANCOPHONIE ABDU DIOUF

Parliament.am
April 7 2010
Armenia

RA National Assembly Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan received the Secretary
General of t he International Organisation of La Francophonie Abdu
Diouf. Welcoming the Secretary General Hovik Abrahamyan noted that he
visited Armenia during an important event: this year Armenia together
with all other member states of International Organisation of La
Francophonie marks the 40th anniversary of the organization. "In
October 2008, when Armenia received the status of the associated
member of the International Organisation of La Francophonie , once
again ensuring its adherence to the common values of Francophonie,"
RA National Assembly Speaker said noting that the International
Organisation of La Francophonie gives a new format for political,
economic and cultural cooperation: "We observe it as a favourable
atmosphere for other states of La Francophonie in the development of
both bilateral and multilateral relations."

Expressing his gratitude the Secretary General of International
Organisation of La Francophonie for the reception gladly noted the
role of Armenia in the International Organisation of La Francophonie
and the role of the parliament of our country in the Parliamentary
Assembly of La Francophonie. In his words the Parliamentary Assembly
of La Francophonie is the most important circle of the International
Organisation of La Francophonie: "The Parliamentary Assembly of La
Francophonie is a permanently awake soldier."

Highly assessing the role of the parliamentary diplomacy in the
whole world RA National Assembly Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan reminded
that taking into account the role of the parliamentary diplomacy,
the cooperation potential between the parliamentarians of the
Francofonie member states in spreading the values of Francofonie,
the Armenian Parliament applied to the International Organisation of
La Francophonie, and in Paris in July 2009 at the plenary session
of the International Organisation of La Francophonie RA National
Assembly was granted a status of associated member. In the words of
the head of the Armenian Parliament this status gave opportunity
to RA National Assembly to be fully involved in the works of the
International Organisation of La Francophonie. "And as one of the
first steps taken we invited to hold the forum of the European region
of 2010 in Yerevan. It will be on May 4-6," RA NA Speaker said.

In his turn Abdu Diouf touched upon the parliamentary diplomacy and
said that it could play a big role in the process of the peaceful
settlement of the conflicts, support the solution of the existing
problems between the peoples. In this context the Secretary General of
the International Organisation of La Francophonie said: "The Armenian
Genocide is always bright in our memory. It is an open wound, and we
have our debt before that memory."

RA NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan noted that condemning every crime we
prevent the implementation of similar crimes in the world later.

Hovik Abrahamyan told Abdu Diouf about the wish of RA National
Assembly to become a full member of the Parliamentary Assembly of
La Francophonie. By the way, as a result of cooperation, which was
approved between the International Organisation of La Francophonie
and RA National Assembly, Armenian Parliament became a benefactor of
Noria programme support for 2010-2013. As a result of the programme,
the official website of RA National Assembly will be translated in
French, the French information will be enriched and courses of the
French language will be organized.

Touching upon the achievements, which were recorded in our country
in the direction of the development beginning from the membership
of Armenia, RA NA Speaker noted about the investment of the third
language in RA general educational system. In Armenia every year
in March Days of Francophonie are organized. This year more than 30
cultural, educational and artistic events are planned from March 15
until April 15. Cooperation was established between the Armenian two
higher educational institutions, the French University in Armenia
and Yerevan V. Brusov State Linguistic University and Francophonie
University Agency.

During the meeting the sides touched upon the NK problem and
Armenian-Turkish relations normalization process.