1 / 1

On November 21 Artak Zakaryan, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations, met Tomáš Dub, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic.

Tomáš Dub visited Yerevan to take part in the works of the Armenian-Czech Business Forum. Artak Zakaryan expressed conviction that such initiatives would give new impetus to deepening of economic cooperation and increase of goods turnover between the two countries, especially in having non used big potential. The visits paid to the Czech Republic recently in the delegation led by the NA President Hovik Abrahamyan and the meetings also brought the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations to a conclusion that new and effective opportunities of developing the relations existed.

“The Czech Republic is interested in the business contacts with Armenia”, Tomáš Dub said, highlighting the increase of the volumes of import and export between the two countries. To his assessment, Armenia is a new and important market for the Czech entities, it is possible to carry out numerous mutually beneficial projects in this atmosphere. Artak Zakaryan has documented that creating a favourable business atmosphere for the economic reforms and investments is one of the priorities for the Armenian authorities, especially taking into account the circumstance of being blockaded by the neigbours. To Artak Zakaryan’s conviction, in the legal field the reforms also will promote the enlivening of economic contacts, as Armenia being on the way to European integration, has adopted an approach of making its legislative field consonant with European standards. As a new plane of cooperation, the Committee Chairman also noted the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, as well as the EU-Armenia Association Agreement, and in its implementation the RA has recorded big progress.

Both sides also highlighted the development of inter-parliamentary relations. In this context, Artak Zakaryan deemed a positive step the Memorandum of Cooperation signed between the relevant committees of the two parliaments. The interlocutors also considered the Eastern Partnership a good platform of mutual cooperation, in particular, its parliamentary format, Euronest. Educational, cultural and other programmes of bilateral interest were discussed.

The Czech official talked about the Genocide perpetrated by Turkey towards Armenians, saying that they shared the Armenian people’s pain and wreath, as their people survived from the killings organized by the Nazis in Lidice. The interlocutors also touched upon the Armenian-Turkish relations and freezing of protocols. According to Artak Zakaryan, respecting the opinion of the international community Armenia has not made a step backward, and still keeps the protocols on the agenda of the parliament.

The Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations also talked about the bellicose policy pursued by Azerbaijan and anti-Armenian campaign, reaffirming the stance of the Armenian side to settle the conflict through peace and the OSCE Minsk Group format. He thanked the Deputy Foreign Minister for the balanced position of the Czech Republic in Safarov’s extradition. The evaluations have also been of principle in the Senate and in the House of Representatives, in connection with which, Artak Zakaryan noticed: “The Czech Republic always adheres to the values of the European Union and progressive humanity”.