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The friendship of the Armenian and Arab peoples has a centuries-old history. The friendship based on mutual respect and trust is a unique value, the basis of which is considered to be the historical-cultural commonalities, the mutual economic interests: The Head of the RA NA Friendship Group Armenia-United Arab Emirates Khachatur Sukiasyan said to the delegation led by the Chair of the Defense Affairs, Interior and Foreign Affairs Committee of the Federal National Council of the United Arab Emirates Ali Rashid AlNuaimi on January 16. The members of the Friendship Group, the opposition and the ruling party deputies took part in the meeting.

Regarding the bilateral cooperation, which included political, economic, cultural and numerous other spheres, Khachatur Sukiasyan underlined the volumes of trade turnover, the efforts aimed its increasing. The Head of the Friendship Group considered as an important achievement the fact that according to the results of 2023, the UAE is the second biggest trade partner of Armenia. He deemed as a positive achievement the regular direct flights between the RA and UAE, also highlighted the elimination of visa requirement for the citizens of Armenia to the United Arab Emirates.

Speaking about the regional security problems, Khachatur Sukiasyan noted that Azerbaijan continues its deconstructive actions, which endanger the stability and peace of the region. According to him, Armenia has political will to regulate the relations with the neighbouring countries, adopting the peace agenda.

“The Crossroads of Peace project presented by the RA Government will have its contribution to the implementation of all these programmes, the purpose of which is the restoration and development of the regional communications,” the deputy said to his Arab colleagues and noted that it is a key issue for the Republic of Armenia to have the principles of sovereignty, jurisdiction, reciprocity and equality of the countries laid as a basis of this process.

“We should open new horizons in the relations existing between the two countries,” the Chair of the Defense Affairs, Interior and Foreign Affairs Committee of the Federal National Council of the United Arab Emirates Ali Rashid AlNuaimi said, thanking his colleagues for warm reception. Underlining that priorities of economic cooperation, he mentioned that the UAE has a goal to become the biggest trade partner for the Republic of Armenia and has potential for that, the two countries negotiate over signing the protocol and Memorandum regarding the comprehensive economic cooperation. Ali Rashid AlNuaimi noticed that for having political stable and strong system, one should have a strong economy, and he called on his colleagues to support the negotiating party from the Republic of Armenia for ratifying the Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation as soon as possible.

The Armenian parliamentarians referred to the regional security problems, the Crossroads of Peace project. Ali Rashid AlNuaimi stressed that the UAE supports it and the policy pursued by their country does not contradict the implementation of the Crossroads of Peace project.

During the meeting the sides spoke about deepening the inter-cultural dialogue, highly evaluating the attitude of the UAE authorities towards the Armenian community. The activity of the Parliamentary Friendship Groups was emphasized. The sides expressed hope that the bilateral cooperation will record tangible result in the near future.