Republican Party of Armenia

On October 9 the RA NA President Galust Sahakyan received the members of the delegation, who arrived in Armenia within the framework of the 31st Session of the Conference of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (APF) being held in Yerevan.

Welcoming the visit of the delegation to the parliament, Galust Sahakyan noted: “We greatly highlight the cooperation with the International Organisation of La Francophonie, which is based on the Francophone universal values: linguistic-cultural diversity, the French, as well as peace, democracy, encouragement of human rights and development.

The NA President noted that Armenia and the Armenian Parliament reaffirmed their adherence to Francophonie values, as well as the commitment to promote their dissemination and strengthening, in 2012 becoming member of the APF, then in 2014 full member of the Francophonie Parliamentary Assembly.

In the NA President’s word, Armenia’s membership to the Francophonie family creates new perspectives of cooperation in the political, economic, cultural and educational spheres for the member states. Galust Sahakyan also touched upon the programme held by the APF in 2011-2014: the French courses designed for the deputies of the National Assembly and the employees. Due to the programme the more important pages of the RA NA official website was translated into French.

The NA President has noted that the Francophonie section of the National Assembly, cooperating with the RA Ministries of Foreign Affairs, the RA of Education and Science, initiated a project of creation of Young Francophonie Parliament, for the implementation of which the practical support of the APF is expected.

Thanking for the reception Jacque Chagnon, President of the National Assembly of Québec, the APF First Vice President, has noted that it is not accidental that the 31st Session of the Conference of Ministers of La Francophonie is held in Armenia: Armenia is a country of rich culture.

According to Mr Chagnon, the participation of Armenia will enrich the summit, as their goal is to make recognizable the cultural diversity of the peoples of the world.

Jacque Chagnon stated that they joined the Resolution condemning the Armenian Genocide: The National Assembly of Québec adopted a Resolution, by which they pay tribute to the Armenian people, qualifying the Genocide as one the 20th century’s terrible tragedies. Jacque Chagnon handed the original document of the Resolution condemning the Armenian Genocide to Galust Sahakyan.

Jean-Pierre Dufau, the deputy of the National Assembly of France, the APF Vice-President, has noted that the Francophonie does not belong only to France: it is a unity of values and cultures. The commitment fight all forms of racial, ethnic and religious hatred discrimination is a universal value and does not recognize nationality.

At the end of the meeting the interlocutors talked about the mutual visits of the parliamentarians of the APF member countries and the perspectives of cooperation.