On February 24 the delegation headed by the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament Mr David Bakradze arrived in Yerevan on two-day official visit, comprising of Vice Speakers Mr Mikeil Machavariani, Levan Vepkhvadze and MPs.
The Speaker of the RA National Assembly Mr Hovik Abrahamyan received Mr Bakradze and the members of the delegation. The meeting attended the Vice Speaker, Co-Chairperson of the Inter-Parliamentary Committee on Cooperation between the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia and the Georgian Parliament Ms Arevik Petrosyan, the members of inter-parliamentary committee and the ambassadors of the two countries.
Welcoming the guests the RA NA Speaker Mr Hovik Abrahamyan highly assessed the current level of the Armenian-Georgian friendly relations and expressed conviction that the official visit of the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament would promote to develop and strengthen more the inter-parliamentary relations of the two countries.
Thanking for warm reception the Georgian Parliament Speaker Mr David Bakradze expresses conviction that his official visit would be an important step in the development of partnership between the parliaments of two friendly states. He invited the RA NA Speaker Mr Hovik Abrahamyan to Georgia.
Expressing gratitude for invitation RA NA Speaker Mr Hovik Abrahamyan highlighted the further development of inter-parliamentary relations at all levels, he expressed conviction that the contacts and cooperation between the committees and parliaments would promote to make closer the relations. Touching upon the regional problems Mr Abrahamyan noted that Armenia tried to improve its relations with its immediate neighbour Turkey and highlighted the opening of the Armenian-Turkish border. It was noted that the Armenian side maintained neutral position in the settlement of the Abkhazian and South-Ossetian conflicts expecting the same balanced approach in the NKR issue from the Georgian side.
The RA NA Speaker underlined the necessity of the implementation of the programmes directed to strengthening of transport substructures in the region, emphasizing in this context the construction of Yerevan-Gyumri-Ninotsminda-Akhaltskha-Batumi highway, which is part of North-South transport corridor.
Touching upon the problem of churches belonging to the Armenian Apostolic Church functioning through centuries in Georgia Mt Abrahamyan expressed hope that after the solution of the issue of the legal status of the Georgian Armenian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church the issues pertaining to the return of the churches would be settled.
The Speaker of the Georgian Parliament also considered necessary the development of inter-parliamentary relations in all directions, highlighting in this context the activities of inter-parliamentary committee. The activation of economic relations and the development of transport substructures were highlighted. It was noted that during five years the number of the Armenian tourists visiting Georgia had increased 50 times. Mr Bakradze highly assessed the position of the Armenian side in the issues of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. To the conviction of the Georgian Parliament Speaker the development, stability and security of the Caucasus region are conditioned also by the Armenian-Georgian relations. Touching upon the problem of the Armenian churches he ensured that the Georgian authorities would do everything possible within their liabilities for the settlement of the issue, as there were no unsolved problems in the Armenian-Georgian relations.
At the meeting other issues of bilateral interest were discussed.
The delegation headed by the Speaker of Georgian Parliament Mr David Bakradze took part in the sitting of the National Assembly. At the sitting the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament delivered a speech.
After the parliamentary meetings the members of the delegation headed by the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament Mr David Bakradze, visited the memorial complex of the victims of the Genocide, laid a wreath to the memory of the Genocide victims. They visited also the museum of the Armenian Genocide.