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On January 18, at the invitation of the Knesset of the State of Israel the visit of the RA parliamentary extended delegation to the Knesset was held led by the Chair of the NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations, the Head of the Armenia-Israel Friendship Group Artak Zakaryan.

In the Knesset the parliamentary delegation met with the Deputy Speaker of the Knesset, the Head of the Israel-Armenia Friendship Group Tali Ploskov. During the meeting the initiatives of the Friendship Groups in the last two years and the results of the two visits of the delegation led by Mrs Ploskov to Armenia in the previous year, as well as the agenda issues of Armenia-Israel International Forum established in Yerevan by the Friendship Groups were discussed. The sides highlighted the role of the Forum in the development of the inter-parliamentary ties, as well as in the formation of business relations between the two societies, the enlivening of the inter-cultural ties, cooperation in technology sphere, healthcare and in the fulfillment of a number of joint humanitarian programmes. The parties expressed hope that the activation of the inter-parliamentary relations and contacts will have a positive impact on the strengthening of the inter-state relations. The Armenian side also emphasized the mutual visits of high ranking representatives of the two states. The issues regarding the provision of regional stability and long-lasting peace were also discussed.

Afterwards the Armenian delegation met with the Chair of the Committee for the Exchange of Culture Delegations of the Knesset, the Head of the ruling coalition, the Representative of Likud Party, Member of the Knesset David Bitan. In the course of the meeting a series of peculiarities of the parliamentary government system of the Knesset and the experience of the Knesset was presented as a key of parliamentary government system. The sides also discussed the encouragement programmes of exchange of experience and of different spheres of art among the young people. Both parties touched upon the possibilities of development of cultural tourism between Armenia and Israel.

At the end of the day the Armenian delegation met with the representative of the ruling coalition of the Knesset, Kulanu Party Eli Cohen. Mr Cohen has noted that he is responsible for the economic and business relations and is going to assume the obligations of the Ministry of Economy of the State of Israel. At the meeting the Armenian delegation presented the existing potential of cooperation in a number of spheres, highlighting the necessity of activation of business ties and the formation of the investment environment. The representative of the Armenian delegation, the Adviser to the RA Prime Minister, the Director of the Strategic Initiative Centre Alexander Khachaturyan presented the meetings of the representatives of the business sphere during the previous two days, a number of problems discussed there, as well as the the priorities of the economic development and investment policy being implemented by the RA Government.

During the meeting an agreement was reached between the interlocutors to organize practical discussions on several projects. At the end of the meeting Artak Zakaryan expressed hope that after assuming the Minister’s obligations Eli Cohen will take practical measures in enlivening business ties with Armenia, ensuring that the parliamentary Friendship Groups will support in all initiatives of the sphere within their authorities.

On the same day the RA NA Delegation led by the Chair of the NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations, the Head of the Armenia-Israel Friendship Group Artak Zakaryan had been in Church of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, visiting the Lord’s Holy Grave. Afterwards the delegation visited the Yad Vashem, Memorial to the victims of Holocaust.

Let us note that during the visit in the territory of Saint Nicholas Monastery of the city of Jaffa of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem of the State of Israel the parliamentary delegation met with the representatives of a number of organizations of the Armenian community of Tel Aviv.

In the course of the meeting issues concerning the activities of the Armenian community of Israel, the preservation of identity, as well as spiritual-cultural problems were discussed. During the discussions the Armenian parliamentarians touched upon several problems raised by our compatriots and the possibilities of their solution.