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On September 17 Eduard Sharmazanov, Vice President of the National Assembly, Head of Armenia-Czech Republic Friendship Group, received the delegation of the Committee on European Union Affairs of the Senate of the Czech Republic led by the Vice President of the Senate Miluše Horská.

In the course of the meeting issues relating to the development of Armenian-Czech parliamentary relations, activation of mutual visits of the friendship groups and parliamentary delegations, the continuity and rapprochement of dialogue with Europe were discussed.

Eduard Sharmazanov also touched upon the problem of incompatibility with democracy: intolerance, denial and racism, introducing as an example the denial policy of the Turkish state in recognition of the Armenian Genocide and the racist rhetoric of Azerbaijan of talking from the positions of force. He assured that Armenia has been and remains propagator of the NK problem and peaceful, political settlement of any conflict.

The Vice President of the Czech Senate Miluše Horská assured that the Czech Republic was ready to support Armenia in the peaceful settlement of the NK problem, as well as in providing the continuity and progress of inner reforms.

On the same day the delegation led by the Vice President of the Senate Miluše Horská had a meeting in the NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations.

Welcoming the guests the Committee Chairman Artak Zakaryan highly assessed the friendly relations formed between the two countries, highlighted the development and strengthening of inter-parliamentary cooperation. According to the Committee Chairman, in the context of political dialogue the parliamentary diplomacy and the activity of the parliamentary friendship groups can have an important role.

In terms of deepening the relations between the two countries the sides emphasized the Memorandum signed between the cities of Jermuk and Karlovy Vary, which creates an opportunity to develop the cooperation between the two resort cities.

The sides made parallels in the historical developments of the Armenian and Czech peoples, expressing conviction that the historical commonalities of the two countries will be a basis for the development of the Armenian-Czech relations.

In the meeting the problems of the European agenda made by the RA and the processes of reforms and democratization was introduced in detail. The cooperation with the Czech Republic within the frame work of the Eastern Partnership was highlighted. The interlocutors documented that the European Union Eastern Partnership programme also gives good opportunities of cooperation, especially taking into account that the Czech Republic is one of the main players of that programme.

In the course of the meeting the sides also touched upon Armenia’s foreign policy, regional problems and the settlement of the NK conflict.

In the parliament the members of the parliamentary delegation of the Czech Republic had also a meeting in the NA Standing Committee on European Integration.

The Chair of the Committee Naira Zohrabyan together with the Czech parliamentarians discussed issues relating to continuing the dialogue with the European Union, deepening of cooperation with the European structures, as well as the Customs Union. He gave detailed clarifications about the situations created after the decision of Armenia’s joining to the Customs Union, talking the security of the country and the NK problems Ms Zohrabyan expressed confidence that most serious work of implementing inner reforms, which had been made with the EU, certainly would be continuous. Talking about the NK problem Ms Zohrabyuan noted that despite the relations of the Czech Republic with Azerbaijan and Turkey, she nevertheless, expects that in the issue of Nagorno Karabakh the position of the Czech Republic would be very much balanced.

The sides also touched upon the deepening of cooperation designed with Armenia in four main directions of the Eastern Partnership.