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On July 16 the Vice President of the National Assembly Eduard Sharmazanov received the Mayor of Thessaloniki Yiannis Boutaris and the President of the Armenian community Vardkes Kotaxian. The Charge d’ Affaires of Greece to the RA Vasiliki Dikopoulou  was also attending the meeting.

Welcoming the guests the NA Vice President highlighted their visit to the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia and expressed conviction that such visits would give new impetus to the relations of the two countries. Eduard Sharmazanov conditioned the opportunity of the dynamic development of the two countries by the centuries old friendship of the Armenian and Greek peoples, civilized commonalities, highlighted the effective cooperation of the cities and communities of the two countries, expressing conviction that the development of cooperation between Thessaloniki and Gyumri would give new quality to the Armenian-Greek relations.

In the course of the meeting the interlocutors talked about the Armenian Genocide: both sides have recorded that the best means of the Genocide prevention is to condemn it. The NA President deemed necessary to fight against racism, xenophobia and fascism with joint efforts.

Thanking the NA Vice President for warm reception, the Mayor of Thessaloniki Yiannis Boutaris expressed readiness to develop the cooperation between Thessaloniki and Gyumri, especially in the sphere of culture. The Mayor said that in 2014 Thessaloniki would be declared the European Youth Capital.

Both sides expressed conviction that everything should be done to make the cooperation formed in different spheres between the two countries more active and effective for the sake of the two nations’ welfare, friendship and mutual respect formed through centuries.