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On March 6 the RA NA President Hovik Abrahamyan received the delegation led by the President of the Bundestag Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) Norbert Lammert, who arrived in Armenia on three-day official visit.

Welcoming the President of the Bundestag and thanking for accepting the invitation and visiting Armenia, Hovik Abrahamyan expressed conviction that the visit would greatly promote not only the rapprochement of inter-parliamentary relations, but also the friendship of the two countries and peoples, the further development and deepening of the Armenian-German relations. The NA President has underlined that Armenia is interested in expanding its relations with Germany with bilateral, as well as multilateral formats. In his word, the European direction and the European integration is one of the priorities of the foreign policy of the Republic of Armenia, and in that respect also our country highlights the cooperation with Germany. The President of the National Assembly highlighted the development of the inter-parliamentary cooperation as an important lever of advancing the political dialogue between the countries. He deemed necessary the further deepening of inter-parliamentary cooperation, the activation of bilateral contacts and the cooperation over the issues of bilateral interest in the international parliamentary organizations.

Thanking for the invitation and warm reception the President of the Bundestag has greatly emphasized the need of the development of inter-parliamentary cooperation, stressing that the German Parliament is concerned to deepen and reinforce the cooperation with the Armenian Parliament. To Norbert Lammert’s conviction, in the reinforcement of inner-state relations big role is reserved to the parliaments. He deemed important the activation of the contacts, the mutual visits in order the German deputies would have right pictures on Armenia and regional problems.

The President of the Bundestag highly appreciated the significant progress, which has registered Armenia in democratic processes.

In the course of the meeting both sides also have touched upon the regional problems. Hovik Abrahamyan has stressed that Armenia highlights the reinforcement of peace and stability in the region, the creation of atmosphere of mutual trust. The NA President has noted that Armenia has repeatedly announced that the Karabakh problem should be settled only within the OSCE Minks Group, through peaceful negotiations. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan due to its oil dollars, with year by year growing military budget, bellicose statements and the snipers’ shootings impedes the peaceful settlement of the issue, the establishment of the security and peace in the region. He has noted with sorrow that the international community does not give adequate assessment to Azerbaijan’s such work style. Hovik Abrahamyan has also touched upon the settlement of the Armenian-Turkish relations, noting that Armenia has always made constructive initiatives, has adhered to the spirit of the protocols signed in Zurich, whereas Turkey continues to advance preconditions lacking in the protocols, which are inadmissible for Armenia from the beginning.

Norbert Lammert has also highlighted the regional stability and peace, noting that it’s visible for him what complications clash the settlement of the NK problem.

During the meeting both sides also discussed other issues of bilateral interest. In the end the President of the Bundestag left a note in the NA Book of Honourable Guests.

Norbert Lammert accompanied by Hovik Abrahamyan took a tour in the building of the National Assembly and was in the Session Hall.