RA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SPEAKER HOVIK ABRAHAMYAN RECEIVES THE PACE PRESIDENT

Parliament.am
May 14 2010
Armenia

On May 13 RA National Assembly Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan received the
President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
(PACE) Mevlut CavuÅ~_oglu. Welcoming the guest the RA National
Assembly Speaker congratulated him on being elected PACE President
and expressed hope that his visit would promote the strengthening of
the dialogue between the Republic of Armenia and the Council of Europe.

The RA National Assembly Speaker said that Armenia wanted to comply
the ongoing reforms with the European standards, and as Speaker of the
National Assembly he would do his best for their implementation. He
highly assessed the considerable support being shown by the Council
of Europe in that direction.

Mevlut CavuÅ~_oglu noted with satisfaction that the parliament was
performing its role through the standing and ad-hoc committees, at
the same time considering important to continue making the reforms
and expressed willingness in the name of PACE to assist and support
the National Assembly.

Hovik Abrahamyan noted that Armenia was ready to fulfill the agreements
and was a responsible counterpart.

Talking about creating a sub-committee on NK issue in PACE Mevlut
CavuÅ~_oglu said that it was not his initiative, and that issue was
before him on the agenda. Nevertheless, if even that sub-committee
is created it cannot duplicate the role of the OSCE Minsk Group,
it has not such a mandate.

Reaffirming the NK problem within the framework of the OSCE Minsk
Group the RA National Assembly Speaker noted that any mediation would
impede the process. In Hovik Abrahamyan’s words, the issues of the
status of the Nagorno Karabakh and security of the NK people are very
important for Armenia. Noting that Armenia wishes to live with its
neigbours in peace and solve all the problems through peaceful way,
the RA National Assembly Speaker said that the diplomatic relations
between Armenia and Turkey should be established and the borders be
opened without preconditions.

Mevlut CavuÅ~_oglu said that there was political will to regulate the
relations, but we should also admit the existence of the difficulties.

He expressed conviction that both sides would wish to overcome those
difficulties.

The RA National Assembly Speaker noted that the normalization of
the relations between Armenia and Turkey is rather complicated and
sensitive process, and though it is suspended now, Armenia is ready
to touch upon the process, if Turkey takes practical steps, and the
protocols are ratified there.

In the course of the meeting other issues of bilateral interest were
also discussed.