Republican Party of Armenia

On November 17 the joint press conference of the Chairman of the RA NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations Artak Zakaryan and the Chairman of the Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Ties with Compatriots of the RF State Duma Leonid Slutsky was held, where the results of the joint sitting of the two committees were summed up.

Artak Zakaryan has noted that in the history of the parliaments of the two countries such joint sitting is held for the first time. By Mr Zakaryan’s assessment, this format should be made a tradition by helping each other and making possible to quickly reach the solution of the problems, which Armenia has put before itself by making a decision to join the Customs Union and implementing processes designed by the Road Map. He has said that during the sitting and the roundtable works the MPs and the experts have in detail discussed the problems connected with Armenia’s joining the Customs Union in the spheres of economy, politics, energy and communication. During the sitting the bilateral cooperation has been highlighted.

Leonid Slutsky has underlined that the Eurasian integration should become a people’s project. To his conviction, people should feel that the Eurasian integration is necessary, and it improves their life. Mr Slutsky also highlighted the cultural and humanitarian cooperation, particularly, the programmes of developing the Russian language in Armenia and the opening of Armenian schools in Russia. In his opinion, the citizens should be informed what the Eurasian integration programme is and what it will give to them.

Artak Zakaryan and Leonid Slutsky answered the journalists’ questions.