The Federation Council Speaker and Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan discussed bilateral cooperation, including at the parliamentary level.
Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko and Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan discussed bilateral cooperation and prospects for parliamentary interaction.
The Federation Council Speaker said that a hefty package of documents, signed during the Prime Minister of Armenia’s official visit to Russia, reflected a mutual commitment to the expansion of multifaceted and allied relations, which rely on long-standing historical ties.
Nikol Pashinyan considers the 30th anniversary of Russian-Armenian relations a good occasion to review all interaction between the two countries. “Interstate, inter-parliamentary and interpersonal relations between Russia and Armenia create a solid foundation for continued cooperation.”
Valentina Matvienko said parliamentary interaction was a key element of interstate relations. According to her, the legislators are conducting an active dialogue, the Inter-Parliamentary Commission on Cooperation between the Federal Assembly and the National Assembly of Armenia is operational and its next meeting will be held in Yerevan soon.
The Federation Council Speaker noted the effective coordination of the parliamentarians’ efforts on international platforms, including in the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the CIS Member States. “Over the past 30 years, the IPA CIS has become a supporting structure of the Commonwealth. Today, it is more than a platform for a dialogue, but truly a working institution.”
The Prime Minister of Armenia added that the cooperation between the two countries was successful both in the Collective Security Treaty Organisation and in the Eurasian Economic Union.
Valentina Matvienko underscored the importance of promoting cooperation between the regions of Russia and Armenia. “As a chamber of regions, the Federation Council considers it important that the Prime Minister of Armenia’s visit is not limited to Moscow, but includes Nizhny Novgorod as well. We will do our best to promote ties between the regions.”
According to Valentina Matvienko, about 70 constituent entities of the Russian Federation maintain relations with Armenia, and 19 regions have signed agreements on trade, economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation. “The Programme of Interregional Cooperation for 2022–2027 will impart a systematic character to interregional relations,” the Federation Council Speaker said.
Nikol Pashinyan noted that the Russian-Armenian interregional forum gave an additional boost to existing ties.
Another area of focus was cultural and humanitarian cooperation. The participants highlighted Armenian Culture Days in Russia and Russian Spiritual Culture Days in Armenia as important events dedicated to the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the upcoming 25th anniversary of the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance.
Valentina Matvienko considered it important to provide proper conditions for preserving a common educational, scientific and linguistic space between Russia and Armenia.
Deputy Federation Council Speaker and co-chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Commission on Cooperation between the Federal Assembly and the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia Yury Vorobyov presented a design for the monument titled United for Centuries. A monument dedicated to Russian-Armenian friendship will be erected on Russian Square in Yerevan in the autumn.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Federation Council Speaker Konstantin Kosachev, Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs Grigory Karasin, Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Defence and Security Viktor Bondarev, Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Science, Education and Culture Lilia Gumerova, and First Deputy Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs Vladimir Dzhabarov.