On July 11 RA National Assembly President Hovik Abrahamyan received the Speaker of the RF Federal Council of the Federal Assembly Valentina Matviyenko, who arrived in Armenia on an official visit.

After a short tête-à-tête talk the meeting continued in extended participants, where from the Russian side were taking part Ilyas Umakhanov, Deputy Speaker of the RF Federal Council of the Federal Assembly, Dmitry Ananyev, First Deputy of the Chairman of the Committee on Financial-Budgetary Affairs, Vladimir Jabarov, First Deputy of the Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations, Alexander Ter-Avanesov, Member of the Committee on Federal Construction, Regional Policy, Local Self-Government and North, Vyacheslav Kovalenko, RF Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to RA, members of different committees and others. From the Armenian side were attending NA Vice Presidents Eduard Sharmazanov and Hermine Naghdalyan, Committee chairmen and representatives of the factions.

Welcoming the guests’ visit to Armenia the NA President noted that the friendly relations between Armenia and Russia were built on trust, which also had its qualitative influence on inter-parliamentary cooperation. Hovik Abrahamyan noted that during the recent years the Armenian-Russian inter-parliamentary had reached new level, the contacts between the two parliaments had become more frequent, to which, certainly, also promote the meetings of the presidents of the legislative bodies at high level, which had given wide opportunities to discuss the issues concerning the activation of inter-parliamentary cooperation and boost the deepening of allied relations between Armenia and Russia.

“At present the strategic partnership between the Republic of Armenia and the Russian Federation successfully develops in all directions, and I would like to not with satisfaction that the activity of the Inter-Parliamentary Committee on Cooperation between the RA National Assembly and the RF Federal Assembly greatly contributed to it,” Mr Abrahamyan noted. In his word, due to the long-year activity of the Committee the inter-parliamentary relations between Armenia and Russia have gained coordinated character, legislative basis has been created, which includes all spheres of inner-state cooperation of the two countries. The NA President expressed confidence that the new composition of the Inter-Parliamentary Committee would continue the work and record tangible results.

Hovik Abrahamyan congratulated Valentina Matviyenko, who is also Chair of the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly Council, congratulated on the CIS IPA twentieth anniversary, wishing the organization new successes. The Head of the Parliament noted that the RA National Assembly paid big importance to the efforts of the Assembly directed to the enlivening of cooperation between the parliaments of the CIS IPA member countries.

Valentina Matviyenko thanked Hovik Abrahamyan for invitation and warm reception. She congratulated the Armenian partners for successfully holding parliamentary elections, as well as Hovik Abrahamyan with the votes’ absolute majority on being re-elected President of the National Assembly. Mrs Matviyenko underlined the RF delegates included in different structures objectively have recorded the fact of holding parliamentary elections in Armenia at high level and in compliance with legislation, evaluating them one more step forward in Armenia in the direction of parliamentarism and democracy. She also stressed the necessity of formation of united standards of the observers’ assessment on the elections, with that respect highlighting the opening of the Branch of the International Institute of Development of Democracy, Parliamentarism and Monitoring of Protection of Citizens’ Electoral Rights of the CIS Member Countries in Yerevan during the current year.

According to the Speaker of the RF Federal Council of the Federal Assembly, the Russian side is inclined resolute to extend the inter-parliamentary cooperation, which in her word, is one of the important components of the bilateral political relations and plays big role in the Armenian-Russian close partnership, development of ties in different spheres and deepening of friendship between two peoples.

She very effectively assessed the activity of the Inter-Parliamentary Committee on Cooperation between the RA National Assembly and the RF Federal Assembly, expressing hope that the newly formed Committee would continue and develop the good traditions of already shaped partnership. Nevertheless, Valentina Matviyenko underlined the necessity of giving more practical character to the work within that format and concrete programmes.

In 2012 is the 15^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Russian Federation and Signing the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Aid between Armenia and Russia, and according to Valentina Matviyenko, it is a good occasion to sum up what has been done, pre-indicate the further joint works. “We are pleased with the procedure of the development of the Armenian0Russian relations, meetings are frequently held at higher level, working, practical steps are established between different ministries, departments, parliamentary structures, business sectors, and during this period we have really created both legislative basis and mutually beneficial serious system of partners’ cooperation,” the Speaker of the RF Federal Council of the Federal Assembly.

Mrs Matvieyenko underscored the further cooperation between the regions of the two countries, expressing readiness to promote their extension. She positively assessed the holding of the Armenian-Russian first Forum between the regions, finding expedient the regular organization of such events under the aegis of the parliaments.

Valentina Matviyenko touched upon the cooperation in the CIS, CSTO, CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, as well as in other international parliamentary structures, highlighting the close cooperation of the RA and RF delegations.

In the relations of the two countries Mrs Matvieyenko also greatly has emphasized the humanitarian and cultural cooperation, which has deep historical roots, and its maintenance and conveying to upcoming generations is necessary. In her word, it is necessary to promote the practical importance of the bilateral agreement on cooperation in humanitarian sphere signed on October 24 last year.

The Speaker of the RF Federal Council of the Federal Assembly also touched upon the integration processes, the perspectives of cooperation in the spheres of economy, science, innovation, education and innovation.

In further strengthening of the Armenian-Russian ties the sides highlighted the enlivening of cooperation of different civil and public structures. They referred to other numerous issues of bilateral interest.

NA President Hovik Abrahamyan proposed to discuss the issue of having representatives in two parliaments. And in his word it will promote the rapprochement and rise of effectiveness of inter-parliamentary bilateral cooperation.

Valentina Matviyenko invited Mr Abrahamyan to the Russian Federation on official visit.

The parliamentarians participating in the meeting also presented their views over the discussed issues.

Valentina Matviyenko and the Delegation led by her have also been in the Session Hall of the National Assembly.

Speaker of the RF Federal Council of the Federal Assembly Valentina Matviyenko left notes in the NA Book of Honourable Guests.