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On March 20, the Chair of the RA NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations Artak Zakaryan received the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to the RA John Kur.

In the course of the meeting the interlocutors touched upon the upcoming parliamentary elections. In this context Artak Zakaryan has noted that the holding of democratic and transparent elections and the fluent transition to a new parliamentary government through new electoral system is greatly highlighted.

In this context the Ambassador wished the Committee Chair success in the upcoming elections and expressed hope that after the parliamentary elections the contacts between the inter-parliamentary friendship groups will be active and continuous.

During the meeting the interlocutors also referred to the issue of bilateral inter-parliamentary cooperation. Artak Zakaryan has stated that in the development of the Armenian-Canadian relations the parliamentary activities of the fifth convocation has been active, but there is still non-used potential.

At the meeting the sides also talked about the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Artak Zakaryan emphasized the balanced position of Canada in the conflict settlement.

Regarding the issue of the Armenian Genocide international recognition the Ambassador Kur has noted that Canada greatly highlights the international processes aimed at the recognition of genocides as a step in the prevention of new genocides. In this aspect the sides referred to the holding of the Global Forum Against the Crime of Genocide in Yerevan in 2015 and 2016, emphasizing the role of that platform at the inter-parliamentary level from the viewpoint of voicing out loud the theme of Genocide.

During the meeting the interlocutors also touched upon a number of spheres of the Armenian-Canadian relations, the further boosting of the relations at parliamentary level was highlighted, supporting the development of the spheres of business, education and culture.

Issues concerning the development of the Armenian-Canadian economic relations and boosting of business opportunities were also discussed. Artak Zakaryan emphasized the holding of the forum of the information technologies sphere at the initiative of the Canadian side in Yerevan in September 2017, expressing hope that the future parliament also will support the works of the forum.

The parties also highlighted the holding of Summit of La Francophonie in Armenia in 2018 as a significant event in the RA foreign political processes.

At the end of the meeting the Ambassador expressed hope that the bilateral relations will further develop in the new parliament to be formed.