Republican Party of Armenia

 On June 2 at Karen Demitchyan Sport and Concert Complex the RA NA President Galust Sahakyan took part in the gathering of the Leadership and Diplomatic Representations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of the Republic of Armenia (RA).

Addressing the attendees the NA President said:

“Dear Mr Minister,

Dear representatives of the diplomatic corps,

I welcome you on the occasion of this important gathering. This gathering that has become traditional has already proved its viability, and I think that in future this format will also promote the discussion of the foreign policy problems and their purposeful and coordinated implementation.

It is not a secret that in parallel with the legislative activity the RA National Assembly continuously contributes to the boosting of international cooperation of the country in different spheres. The National Assembly with relative format takes part in the processes concerning the foreign relations, extending the inter-parliamentary, developing the relations with different international structures, harmonizing the legislation of the Republic of Armenia with the international standards and ratifying bilateral and multilateral treaties.

The RA National Assembly actively takes part in giving international sounding to the most important problems of the RA foreign policy in foreign parliaments and different international structures, particularly in the issues regarding the Nagorno Karabakh problem, the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide and the Armenian-Turkish relations.

Today, we at the threshold of the important historical event: we are getting ready for the 100th centenary of the Armenian Genocide.

Taking into consideration the circumstance that the attention of the international community in 1915 will be focused on the 100th centenary of the Armenian Genocide, all of us should bring together the process directed to the recognition of the Armenian Genocide. We, the parliamentarians, will do our best in all international parliamentary structures in touching upon once again the issue of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and condemning the genocide as an evil against humankind. The RA National Assembly will also support all the initiatives, which will be aimed at the organization of the consultations, forums directed at the condemnation of the Armenian Genocide.

The National Assembly focuses on the discussions on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict in the international organizations. I would like to note that during the recent years the mentioned problems the joint work implemented with the RA MFA has greatly promoted the parliamentarians’ efficient presentation. However, taking into account the positions of some countries dictated by economic interest on the problems of vital importance for our country is the obligation of time having closer, concerted and mutually supplementing cooperation between the RA parliamentary delegations and diplomatic representations in the Parliamentary Assemblies.

With this respect, I greatly highlight the united and practical work of all forces represented in the parliament, as well as the conduct of the regular consultations of the parliamentary delegations and the MFA representatives.

By my deep conviction, in the international arena the RA National Assembly has a considerable potential in the implementation of the foreign policy strategy.

In this aspect I spotlight the parliamentary diplomacy as a powerful factor of the development of the inter-state relations.

In parallel with the RA official diplomacy the RA National Assembly can also act more influentially and constructively in cases, when stemming from certain circumstances, the possibilities of the executive power are limited. Besides, the parliament is a binding link between the official diplomacy and the society.

I am convinced that only with joint work we can raise the efficiency of our delegations’ work. Though there is considerable progress in the cooperation in this direction with the RA MFA, however, there is still a lot to do. I recommend you to form relevant working groups between the National Assembly and the MFA for elaborating the cooperation mechanisms and giving more institutional character to the cooperation.

The RA National Assembly can greatly promote the rise of efficiency of Armenia’s foreign policy and the development of inter-state relations through the use of the inter-parliamentary cooperation mechanisms. We are advancing in that direction and I am sure that due to joint and purposeful work we will succeed to reach our general goals.”

Then the awarding ceremony took place. By the order of the RA NA President Galust Sahakyan for the contributuion in the strengthening of inter-state relations and diplomatic work Ara Ayvazyan, the RA Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to the Republic of Lithuania, Hrachya Aghajanyan, the RA Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark, Sargis Ghazaryan, the RA Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to the Republic of Italy and Tigran Seyranyan, the RA Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to the Czech Republic were awarded the RA NA Medal of Honour.