Monday, February 8 2016 15:29

On February 8, Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia Galust Sahakyan received the Delegation headed by the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia Maja Gojkovic who is in Armenia on an official visit, the parliament press-office reports.

Welcoming the guests in the Armenian Parliament, Galust Sahakyan has noted that the Armenian-Serbian relations have a years-long history based on mutual benevolence and support. However, he said, backing of the two anti-Armenian Resolutions at the PACE Winter Session by almost all members of the Serbian Delegation was a surprise for Armenia, which, in his word, runs contrary the spirit of the years-old friendly relations of our countries, as well as the official position of Serbia on Karabakh problem. Galust Sahakyan considered necessary the formation of the active dialogue between the parliaments of the two countries and noted that in that way, perhaps, it would be possible to settle the situation created as a consequence of voting of the Serbian Delegation.

Touching upon the regional problems, the speaker has noted that one of the priorities of Armenia's foreign policy is the Nagorno Karabakh problem, the solution of which Armenia sees by the only format accepted by the international community - within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group three Co-Chairs. "Despite the fact that Azerbaijan in all ways tries to impede the peaceful settlement of the problem, we will continue to adhere to our position of solving the conflict through negotiations, not giving in the provocations of the opposite side," Sahakyan said.

Galust Sahakyan has also noted that one of the most important issues of Armenia's foreign policy is also the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, underscoring that the Republic of Armenia will make all efforts for reaching the full recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the international community.
Thanking for the reception, Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia Maja Gojkovic hailed the friendly relations of the two countries, particularly, the deepening of the inter-parliamentary cooperation and the activation of the bilateral ties. 

Highlighting the partnership in the international organizations, Maja Gojkovic proposed to activate the cooperation of the two parliaments. Talking about the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, she stated that the Artsakh problem should be settled within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group, on the basis of Madrid principles.
She expressed her gratitude to Armenia for supporting the self-sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia on Kosovo issue.
After meeting, Galust Sahakyan and Maja Gojkovic made a joint statement, summing up the results of the meeting. Afterwards they planted a fir-tree at the Alley of Memory, in the Parliament Park.
On January 26, PACE approved the resolution entitled "Inhabitants of frontier regions of Azerbaijan are deliberately deprived of water" (rapporteur Milica Markovic, Bosnia and Herzegovina). 98 MPs voted for, 71 MPs voted against and 40 MPs abstained from voting. On the same day, PACE rejected the anti- Armenian resolution "Escalation of violence in Nagorno-Karabakh and the other occupied territories of Azerbaijan" (rapporteur Robert Walter, UK).