RA NA PRESIDENT RECEIVES THE DELEGATION OF GERMANY
National Assembly of RA
March 31 2009
Armenia
On March 30 President of RA National Assembly Mr Hovik Abrahamyan
received Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office of the Federal
Republic of Germany (FRG) Mr Gernot Erler and Chairman of Germany-South
Caucasus Parliamentary Group of FRG Bundestag, representative of the
Social- Democratic Party Mr Steffen Reiche. RA NA Vice President,
head of Armenia-Germany Parliamentary Friendship Group Mrs Arevik
Petrosyan, Deputy Foreign Minister Mrs Karine Ghazinyan, Ambassador
Plenipotentiary and Extraordinary of the Federal Republic of Germany
to the Republic of Armenia Mrs Andrea Viktorin attended the meeting.
RA NA President highly assessed the present level of the
Armenian-German relations, noting that the political dialogue with
Germany is highlighted both in the context of bilateral development, as
well as development of European cooperation, which is also conditioned
by the growing interest of Germany and European Union towards the
South Caucasus regional developments. Mr Abrahamyan emphasized the
importance of the development of the inter-parliamentary relations,
noting that probably in autumn the National Assembly of Armenia will
host the head of the German Parliament, which will boost the deepening
of cooperation between the two countries. The sides highlighted the
activation of mutual visits, contacts, the exchange of information
and the implementation of legislation expertise.
Touching upon the process of the settlement of Karabakh problem NA
President Mr Hovik Abrahamyan noted that Armenia highlighted the
mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs in the process of the
conflict settlement as a functioning format of negotiation process,
and Armenia adhered tо the settlement of the problem only through
peaceful way. To Mr Abrahamyan’s conviction, the sides should be
free of any steps, which could create additional tension on the
way of peaceful process, to which Azerbaijan impeded with bellicose
statements. The NA President stressed that the base of the settlement
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement was the recognition
of the self-determination of the Nagorno Karabkh people and the
implementation of the right, the land connection between the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic (NKR) and Armenia and guarantees of security of the
NPR population. Mr Abrahamyan expressed gratitude to the German side
for its unbiased position. In the context of regional security and
stability NA President Mr Hovik Abrahamyan highlighted the development
of Armenia-Turkey relations, noting that Armenia was ready for the
establishment and development of the inter-state relations without
preconditions.
Reserving an important role in the development of the relations between
the two countries to the inter-parliamentary cooperation Minister of
State at the Federal Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany
(FRG) Mr Gernot Erler separated the cooperation of the parliamentary
friendship groups and thanked the NA President for the support to
the International Parliamentary Fellowship Programme. Mr Erler said
that within the framework of Cultural Days of Germany in Armenia
numerous events were envisaged to be held, which would more deepen the
Armenian-German friendly relations in different directions. The State
Minister positively assessed Armenia’s steps directed to make closer
the relations with the neighbours, in particular, the progress in the
Armenian-Turkish relations. Within the framework of the settlement
of the NKR problem he considered necessary to resume the immediate
contacts of the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan.
During the meeting the sides touched upon the inner-political
situation of Armenia, highlighted the just and transparent conduct
of the elections of Yerevan Council of Elders and discussed other
issues of bilateral interest.