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The RA NA delegation led by NA Vice Speaker Arevik Petrosyan on April 5-8, 2010 took part in Saint Petersburg in a number of events of the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly and CSTO Parliamentary Assembly. The delegation comprised of NA deputies Vahan Hovhannisyan, Artak Davtyan, Hrayr Karapetyan, Eduard Sharmazanov and Ara Nranyan.

On April 6 the Head of the Armenian delegation Arevik Petrosyan took part in the 34^th plenary session of the Council of the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, where a number of important decisions were adopted, and the Armenian MPs took part in the works of the permanent commissions.

On April 7 in the Duma Hall of the Tavricheskiy Palace the 34^th plenary session of the Council of the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly was held. The speeches of the representatives of CIS member states were dedicated to the legal-social protection of the Great Patriotic War veterans.

On the same day an International Parliamentary Conference dedicated to the 65^th Anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, in which take part heads and representatives of PACE and other international organizations. NA Vice Speaker Arevik Petrosyan gave a speech in the Conference. She highly assessed the common victory, which was gained at the price of big human, spiritual and material losses, which saved the mankind from slavery and predetermined its further destiny. In the destruction of the great victory and fascism among the numerous nations the Armenian people also had their significant contribution. About 600.000 Armenians took part in the Great Patriotic War, from which 300.000 people died in the battlefield. The Armenian people gave a wonderful example of military glory to the world 3 marshals and one admiral, more than 80 generals and vice admiral and 108 heroes. About 70.000 Armenians were awarded military orders and medals. During the war years the contribution of the Armenian people had also been great in the rear in the development of the fundamental sciences and organization of production.

Mrs. Petrosyan noted that in our days more than ever the mankind highlights and assesses the role and importance on non-use of force, development of inter-ethnic dialogue, peaceful coexistence.

According to NA Vice Speaker’s assessment, the World War II once again proved that any crime perpetrated against humanity and not condemned, brings forth a new crime. He reminded Hitler’s words pronounced in 1939 before the Chief Command: “The aim of the war is not to reach certain borders, but the enemy’s physical destruction. Who, after all, today remembers and speaks of the annihilation of the Armenians?” The latter meant the Genocide of 1,5 million Armenians that was perpetrated in the Ottoman Empire and Western Armenia in 1915. Mrs. Petrosyan added that the victory of the World War II in its turn proved that those, who commit crime against humanity, sooner or later, answer, get punished and condemned.

On April 7 Vahan Hovhannisyan gave a speech on the agenda fourth issue ‘The Role of the Parliaments in Preventing the Conflicts’ of the joint sitting of the permanent commissions on Political Issues and International Cooperation and on Defense and Security Issues. According to his assessment, the contradiction of the two principles of the international law, territorial integrity and the rights of the nations’ self-determination and their opposing is artificial. The principle of territorial integrity should act between the sovereign countries, and the right of the nations’ self-determination should be applied in all cases, when the oppressed nation decides to separate and create its own state.

Thus, these two principles act on different planes. The Nagorno Karabakh Republic is the brilliant example of the second way.

The delegation of the National Assembly with the delegations of the CIS states took part in the solemn mourning ceremony in Piskarev Pantheon.

On the same day the International Parliamentary Conference on the theme ‘The Future of the European Security’ was held, which the CIS Inter-Parliamentary Assembly organized jointly with PACE. In the plenary session Vahan Hovhannisyan gave a speech. He considered unacceptable the use of the double standards towards different countries and the subjects having right of self-determination, in particular, Nagorno Karabakh. Such differentiated and unrealistic approach excludes not only the just solution, but also ignores the truth. According to the speaker, as just approach is not applied in such issues, there is no word about the reliable system of security.

The work of the International Parliamentary Conference continued in separate sections, where NA deputies Eduard Sharmazanov and Ara Nranyan gave speeches.

According to Eduard Sharmazanov’s assessment, the problem of the Eurasian and regional security should be solved in accordance with international norms and principles and everybody’s joint efforts. And the distinct position of RA President Serzh Sargsyan in establishing relations with the neighbouring Turkey without preconditions is aimed at the settlement of this problem. Regarding the accusation of the Turkish MP of digging the history Mr. Sharmazanov opposed saying that the they dig the history, trying to make the historical commission an arena for discussing the issue of being or not being the Armenian Genocide, an evident fact, which has no need of proof and is not a subject of discussion.

The NA deputy Ara Nranyan spoke about the necessity of improving the system of the European security. We are often proposed schematic and superficial solutions of the regulation of the conflicts without going deep in their sources and reasons, without realizing the main conditions of the nations’ survival. Mr. Nranyan considered the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh issue by such approach.

During the works of the International Parliamentary Conference the Head of RA NA delegation, NA Vice Speaker Arevik Petrosyan and the member of the delegation, the Head of the ARF faction Vahan Hovhannisyan gave interview to Mir TV Company.