On September 2, RA NA President Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan met with the Heads of the Central 
Apparatus of RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and RA Diplomatic Missions within the framework of their annual meeting.
The Head of the Armenian parliament referred in his speech to the international activity of the National Assembly and issues on deepening RA NA-RA MFA cooperation. Afterwards Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan answered to the participants’ questions and took part in the discussion.
During the discussion, RA NA President said in particular, “The Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) headed by RA President Mr. Serzh Sargsyan composes a majority in the National Assembly. I as a member of RPA executive body as well as the parliamentary majority assist to President Sargsyan’s initiative foreign policy, which is directed to all-round and consistent defense of the interests of our country”.
The Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations Mr. Armen Rustamyan, the Chairperson of the Standing Committee on European Integration Ms. Naira Zohrabyan and the Chairman of the Standing Committe on State and Legal Affairs, the head of the NA delegation to PACE Mr. David Harutyunyan, NA Chief of Staff Mr. Gegham Gharibjanian also participated in the meeting.
The speech of RA NA President Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan at the meeting of the Heads of the Central Apparatus of RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs and RA Diplomatic Missions:
"Dear Mr. Minister,
Dear colleagues,
I greet you at the meeting of the Heads of the Central Apparatus of the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs and RA Diplomatic Missions, which became a tradition and has its effective role in the coordinated and purposeful implementation of RA foreign policy.
In the sphere of foreign policy the competence reserved for the National Assembly by RA Constitution should be observed, first of all, in the authorities’ separation context, however especially in the case of small countries, parliament has also a great role in raising the issues of foreign policy.
The parliamentary diplomatic practice is widely used in the world, which goes in parallel with the official diplomacy. It is particularly used in the spheres of conflict settlement, the elections’ supervision, cultural dialogue, democracy, migration and human rights as well as in the economic and social issues.
RA NA almost all Standing Committees are involved in the issues concerning the foreign relations of the country, though the RA NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations
and the
RA NA Standing Committee on European Integration
carry out the main work in this sphere, particularly in the issues connected with the ratification of the agreement, deepening of the inter-parliamentary relations, development of relations of different European structures and harmonizing RA Constitution with European standards and in other issues.
RA National Assembly has signed inter-parliamentary cooperation agreements with a dozen of countries. There are five bilateral Inter-Parliamentary Committees in the RA National Assembly. Parliamentary Friendship Groups have been formed with the parliaments of forty-six countries.
RA parliamentary delegations are always presented, and they have an active participation in different international structures and organizations, particularly in Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the Commonwealth of Independent States (IPA CIS), OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the Armenia-European Union Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO-PA), Inter-Parliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (IAO), Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC), Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie (PAF).
Besides, in the nearest future it is planned to form RA NA delegation activity regulating body, which is presented in the international structures.
RA National Assembly in parallel with RA Executive Power can act much more influential and constructive especially in case, when the Executive Powers have limited possibilities due to objective or subjective reasons.
Such an important achievement was the corresponding resolution on the events of March 1, 2008 by OSCE in Strasbourg, which was adopted recently.
RA National Assembly can have a role in the realization of contacts also with such countries with which Armenia has no diplomatic relations. Saudi Arabia is a vivid example of it, in whose parliament a Parliamentary Friendship Group has been formed. A group of the same kind is being formed in the RA National Assembly as well.
Besides, the parliament can be a connecting link between official and public diplomacy. By means of deputies, the parliament makes the public concerns regarding foreign policy much more reachable to the authorities, and the government policy regarding important issues to the wide layers of society. Through RA NA hearings wide public resonance is given to such delicate issues of foreign policy, as the relations with Turkey, Nagorno Karabakh core issue.
The parliamentary delegations have a great role in stimulation of regional cooperation especially in the international organizations, within the framework of European structures in particular. 
The RA NA- RA MFA coordinated work realization is important for presenting the issue regulating negotiating process much more effective in the international organizations and overseas countries’ foreign political most important issues, in particular Nagorno Karabakh core issue with its all aspects.
Despite the fact that recently the RA NA-RA MFA cooperation has been activated however it is not yet coordinated and is of no institutional character. So I suggest including the following issues in your agenda.
- Provision of necessary information from both sides,
- Organization of regular joint discussions on important issues of RA foreign policy agenda,
- Appointment of officials with corresponding level in RA MFA to coordinate the RA NA - RA MFA cooperation,
- Assistance in activation of inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group activity, forming of new groups, organization of reciprocal visits,
- Presentation of corresponding information on RA NA activity in foreign countries during official meetings,
- Provision of information on presented factions in foreign parliaments and RA NA, establishment of ties and development of activity between parties with political and ideological similarities,
- Provision of complete information on deputies of Armenian origin in foreign parliaments, establishment of ties with them as well as extension of collaboration,
- Organization of mutual effective lobbyist work in foreign countries and international structures,
Dear colleagues,
I would like you to present your considerations and recommendations concerning spheres and directions pointed out by me in the RA NA-RA MFA cooperation.
I hope that with joint efforts, more active and regular contacts we will be able to use the whole potential of the RA NA-RA MFA cooperation in a right and systemized way.
Thank you”.
