Republican Party of Armenia

On May 13 the RA NA President Galust Sahakyan received the parliamentary delegation of the Republic of France, which included the NA deputies of France, Head of France-Armenia Friendship Group René Rouquet, François Rochebloine, Patrick Devedjian, Head of France-Caucasus Friendship Group Ambroise Dupont, senators Philippe Kaltenbach and Nathalie Goulet.

Highly assessing the friendly relations existing between the two countries the NA President Galust Sahakyan has noted that France occupies a special place on the foreign political agenda of Armenia. In his word, the Armenian-French relations stably develop between the two countries: high level political dialogue, effective cooperation established at inter-parliamentary level, cultural, educational, scientific close connections are characteristic to the relationship between Armenia and France. By the NA Speaker’s conviction, the official visit of the President of France François Hollande to Armenia opened a new page in the Armenian-French relations. Galust Sahakyan has noted that the Armenian-French Friendship Groups, formed in the parliaments of Armenia and France, have significant contribution to the development of the inter-parliamentary relations. He highly assessed the 'Friendship Format with Artsakh' created with the participation of the deputies and former MPs of the NA and Senate of France, as well as a number of city authorities. “Most of you make big contribution in recognizing by law the Armenian Genocide in France in 2001. You were also the propagators of the bill criminalizing the denial of the Armenian Genocide. I am sure that you will continue the efforts for the further rapprochement and enlargement of cooperation between Armenia and France,” Galust Sahakyan said. The Head of the Parliament also highlighted the decentralized effective cooperation. Galust Sahakyan highly appreciated Armenia’s involvement in the Francophonie international organization and expressed hope that the Parliamentary Assembly of Francophonie at its next plenary sitting will approve the decision on granting the RA National Assembly a status of full member in the Parliamentary Assembly of Francophonie.

Thanking for the reception the French parliamentarians congratulated Galust Sahakyan on being elected NA President and expressed conviction that the inter-parliamentary relations will continue to develop and deepen. René Rouquet, François Rochebloine, Patrick Devedjian highly assessed the official visit of the President of France to Armenia and noted that it would give a new impetus to the inner-state relations. Touching upon the process of international recognition of the Armenian Genocide François Rochebloine and Patrick Devedjian have noted that it’s time for Turkey to recognize the historical fact. They have documented with satisfaction that former Presidents of France Jacques Chirac, Nicolas Sarkozy and acting President François Hollande share the same opinion over the problems of Armenia and the issue of the Genocide and have the same positions, despite the difference of views in all various issues.

The sides expressed readiness to deepen the parliamentary relations and further develop the cooperation created between the two countries. During the meeting the regional problems, issues concerning the Armenian-French ties and other issues of bilateral interest were discussed.