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On December 15 the Speaker of RA National Assembly Hovik Abrahamyan received the Argentinean diplomat, Doctor Leandro Despui. The latter takes part at The Crime of Genocide: Prevention, Condemnation and Elimination of Consequences International Conference in Yerevan. The Conference is dedicated to the adoption of the UN Convention on Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. The NA Chief of Staff Gegham Gharibjanyan and the head of NA ARF faction Vahan Hovhannisyan attended the meeting.

The NA Speaker highly assessed the relations between Armenia and Argentina and the Armenian-Argentinean friendship, and its vivid example is Mr Despui’s activity and the fact of being awarded Mkhitar Gosh medal for his considerable contribution to the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide by RA President Serzh Sargsyan. Hovik Abrahamyan emphasized the Argentinean guest’s contribution in the sphere of the human rights protection and his contribution in the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Argentinean Parliament on November 29, 2006: Argentina was the second country in the South American continent after Uruguay, which qualified the events of the beginning of the 20^th century Genocide. The Speaker of the Parliament said that the visits of such figures would promote the activation of the relations between the two countries. The NA Speaker noted that his official visit to Argentina is scheduled in spring of the next year.

Doctor Leandro Despui thanked for warm reception. In his words the recognition of the Armenian Genocide more approached the Armenian and Argentinean peoples, the Armenian community is respected in Argentina, and the visit of the head of the Armenian Parliament to that South American country would be a serious impetus for the development of bilateral relations.

The NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan considered important the cooperation between the parliaments and the mutual visits of the delegations, which would make possible to make closer the relations between the two countries. He also expressed his gratitude for warm reception being shown towards our compatriots by the Argentinean authorities.

To Leonard Despui’s conviction, the Armenian Genocide is an undeniable fact, and its recognition is the problem not only of the Armenian people, but also of the whole world.

Hovik Abrahamyan noted that the condemnation of the Armenian Genocide is an opportunity to prevent the commitment of such crime towards other people.

The interlocutors also touched the NK conflict, especially the right of the nations’ self-determination, noting that the issue should be solved on the basis of that principle, as well as non-use of force, territorial integrity.