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On May 1, the Chair of the RA NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations Ruben Rubinyan, the Committee members Anush Begloian, Arman Babajanyan, Gor Yeranyan, Sos Avetisyan, Tatevik Hayrapetyan, the Head of Armenia-Iraq Parliamentary Friendship Group Rustam Bakoyan, the deputy Artur Hovhannisyan met with the members of the delegation led by the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations of the Iraqi Parliament Sherko Muhammad Saleh Merwaes.

Welcoming the guests in parliament, the Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations Ruben Rubinyan highlighted the development dynamics of the relations between the two countries and expressed hope that the activities of the legislative bodies of Armenia and Iraq also would be more purposeful in terms of giving new quality and efficiency to the existing relations. “Iraq is an important priority for Armenia. The regional cooperation based on the peaceful co-existence is important for us. It is not a secret that the last year has been rather hard for Armenia,” Rubinyan noted, speaking about the military aggression pursued by Azerbaijan against the Armenian people with the support of Turkey. The Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations thanked the Chairman of the Iraqi side of Armenia-Iraq Parliamentary Friendship Group for the discreet statement made during the war in 2020 and the appeal of the immediately stopping the war actions. Speaking about the Armenian-Iraqi relations, historical traditions, Ruben Rubinyan touched upon the crimes and the Armenian Genocide committed against the Armenian people.

The Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations of the Iraqi Parliament thanked Sherko Muhammad Saleh Merwaes his colleague for the warm reception. He also expressed hope that the effective activity being carried out by both sides would promote the development of the inter-parliamentary ties and cooperation. Touching upon the regional tension, Sherko Muhammad Saleh Merwaes has noted that Iraq is for establishing peaceful, stable and balanced relations with the neighbouring countries of the region. He highly assessed the work and role of the RA Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Iraq Hrachya Poladyan.

The Co-Chair of Iraq-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group Rihan Hanna Ayoub has noted that the Armenians living in Iraq are one of the specific nations and has underlined the necessity of a representative of an Armenian origin to have parliamentary mandate in the Iraqi Parliament.

The representatives of the Iraqi Parliament underscored the works done by the Head of Armenia-Iraq Parliamentary Friendship Group Rustam Bakoyan in strengthening the relations between the two states. It has been noted that since 1930 Ria Taza periodical being published in Armenia, the radio programme being broadcast in Kurdish are the vivid examples of historical warm relations.

The Head of Armenia-Iraq Parliamentary Friendship Group Rustam Bakoyan highlighted the further development of the inter-parliamentary relations and in that issue the role of the Friendship Groups. “The Near East is an important region for us. I am sure that this visit will give a new breath to the bilateral relations and the mutually beneficial relations. Armenia is interested in the Near East region, as well as is for the establishment of peace in Iraq.” He informed that in February of 2021 he visited the Republic of Iraq to take part in the reburial ceremony of the Yazidis subjected to genocide in 2014 in Baghdad and Sinjar, had meetings accompanied by the RA Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Iraq Hrachya Poladyan and General Consul Arshak Manukyan had meetings with the representatives of the Spiritual Council, the Yazidi community, visited the Yazidi camp of Sinjar refugees. He has recorded with pain that about 8 years have passed, but the Yazidis cannot return to their homeland – Sinjar to organize their normal life. Rustam Bakoyan touched upon the policy being pursued towards the national minorities in Armenia, underlining that all opportunities exist to maintain the national feature, religion, culture and identity.

Arman Babajanyan has stated that the peoples of the two states have historical, crucial commonalities: they have survived genocides. Arman Babajanyan stressed that the Government and the parliament of Iraq would observe the importance of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide. “If we don’t condemn the genocide, today in fact, we open a door for new genocides and create opportunities,” he noted, expressing conviction that the Armenian-Iraqi relations will last aiming at establishing peace and stability in the region.

The Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations of the Iraqi Parliament thanked Sherko Muhammad Saleh Merwaes has stated that Iraq is passing through rather difficult phase, and it needs stability: “After stability we shall begin to rebuild our country in a new way. Our role in the international structures will be reviewed, we shall also refer to the historical events. We are hopeful that this visit will be a new impetus for strengthening the Armenian-Iraqi relations.”