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On April 22 RA NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan received the deputies of the Riksdag of the Kingdom of Sweden Annelie Enochson and Fredrik Malm.

Welcoming the guests Hovik Abrahamyan highly assessed their contribution in adopting the resolution condemning the Armenian Genocide by the Swedish Parliament and once again thanked the Speaker of the Riksdag and the 131 deputies, who without taking into account the biased posture of some state figures and ignoring the concerned considerations, voted for the adoption of the resolution for the restoration of the historical justice. “The condemnation of the Armenian Genocide by the Swedish Parliament is one more step for the general recognition of the genocide and prevention of such crimes in the world,” Hovik Abrahamyan stressed.

Toching upon the settlement of the Artsakh problem the NA Speaker stressed that Armenia repeatedly announced that the peaceful solution of the conflict was the only way, and it should be settled within the OSCE Minsk Group through peaceful negotiation, to which impeded Azerbaijan with its bellicose announcements sounding more often.

Hovik Abrahamyan considered concerning the fact that the ceasefire was frequently broken by Azerbaijan, which caused human casualties, due to oil dollars year by year the latter’s military budget grows, and all this makes impossible the establishment of regional security and peace. He noted with regret that the international community does not give an adequate assessment to Azerbaijan’s such work style.

The NA Speaker also touched upon the issue of Armenia-Turkey relations normalization, noting that the RA President showed political will and took a step in establishing relations, but, unfortunately, Turkey was not ready to continue the process that had been started without preconditions: in accordance with the spirit of the signed protocols in Zurich by the international high mediation.

The Head of the Armenian Parliament noted that our country greatly highlighted the multilateral and mutually beneficial cooperation with the Scandinavian region and especially Sweden, including the activation of the inter-parliamentary contacts. “Sweden, really is considered an example of mature democracy and protection of human rights, and the effective cooperation of the two parliaments will have its contribution in strengthening democracy in Armenia, protection of human rights and spreading other values,” Hovik Abrahamyan noted.

Mrs Enochson once again thanked the head of the parliament for awarding them the NA Medal of Honour and stressed that agreed with Hovik Abrahamyan that the condemnation of the Armenian Genocide was an important step for recognition of Genocide and prevention of such crimes in the world, and the state, which committed that crime shall apologize, as for going forward we shall remember the past. “Armenia has no oil, gas, no access to sea, but it has the most important thing: Armenian people in the Motherland and in the Diaspora. You have the best thing – your intellectual big potential,” the Swedish deputy said.

Being the Chairperson of the Swedish-Armenian Parliamentary Group, Mrs Enochson highlighted the deepening of the inter-parliamentary cooperation, distinguishing the activity of the friendship groups.

Touching upon the NK conflict the Swedish deputies also highlighted the settlement of the problem within the OSCE Minsk Group.

At the meeting other issues of bilateral interest were discussed, too.