1 / 9

Appreciating the strategic significance and importance of the Near East for us, we should say that Iraq pays a unique role in the context of the state policy of our state: the Head of Armenia-Iraq Friendship Group Rustam Bakoyan said at the meeting with the members of Iraq-Armenia Friendship Group of Parliament of the Republic of Iraq.

Welcoming the Iraqi colleagues’ visit to our country, Rustam Bakoyan highlighted such discussions and meetings, where the core issue was considered to be the common interests of the two countries.

“The Parliamentary Friendship Groups have a special role in the strengthening of the cooperation bases of our countries, and their activity has been rather activated,” Rustam Bakoyan noted. He especially highlighted the collaboration of the legislative bodies in different formats.

According to the Head of Armenia-Iraq Friendship Group, the development of the Armenian-Iraqi political dialogue is one of the important priorities of Armenia’s foreign policy. In parallel to this, the economic and cultural ties are also developing. In the development of economic ties, the Armenian and Iraqi deputies highlighted the operation of Baghdad-Yerevan, Erbil-Yerevan flights by Fly Arna Airline Company, which will give an impetus to tourism, and increase of trade turnover volumes.

The member of Armenia-Iraq Friendship Group, the Chair of the NA Standing Committee on Financial-Credit and Budgetary Affairs Gevorg Papoyan noted that the trade turnover between the two countries is 200 million USD, which is a small figure. In his opinion, there is unrealized potential.

The members of Armenia-Iraq Friendship Group expressed readiness to create favourable conditions for activation of business ties. A reference was made to the issue of blocking the Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan, which extends already 93 days. Rustam Bakoyan mentioned that Azerbaijan grossly violated the trilateral statement of 2020 and does not fulfill its assumed obligations, as a consequence of the security of 120.000 population of Artsakh is endangered. It was noted that Azerbaijan continues its provocative actions also towards the sovereign state of Armenia, damaging the security and stability of the region.

T he Head of Iraq-Armenia Friendship Group of the House of Representatives of Iraq Mohammad Sadik Mohammad , as well as the other members of the Friendship Group emphasized the development of the Armenian-Iraqi multilateral relations, underscoring the importance of provision of peace in the region.

Regarding the presence of the Armenian community in Iraq, Rustam Bakoyan considered necessary that the Armenia community in Parliament of Iraq will have its representative, for which the Iraqi colleagues also expressed their positive attitude.

Regarding the cultural contacts, the Deputy Head of the Iraq-Armenia Friendship Group Watban Jameel Mansoor Abdulazeez noted that about 300 Iraqi students study with bachelor’s educational programmes of the higher educational institutions of Armenia, and there is wish to increase that number, as well as give an opportunity to study with Master’s educational programmes.

The interlocutors underlined the non-discriminative attitude towards the national minorities in the two countries. A reference was made to a number of issues of bilateral interest.

The meeting took place on March 14.