YEREVAN. – Armenia’s National Assembly (NA) Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan had bilateral meetings, on Friday in Strasbourg, France, along the lines of the European Conference of Parliament Presidents.    

During his talk with Eero Heinäluoma, Speaker of the Parliament of Finland, the parties discussed interparliamentary cooperation, regional developments, and interaction within international organizations. They also reflected on the Ramil Safarov case, NA press service informs.    

Abrahamyan noted that Armenia greatly underscores the establishment of cooperation with Scandinavia, and especially with Finland.

In his turn, Heinäluoma considered Safarov’s extradition to and subsequent release in Azerbaijan as an impermissible and an unprecedented occurrence. And Abrahamyan stressed that this incident creates a dangerous precedent, and that Council of Europe-member Azerbaijan’s action was a violation of international norms and European law.

Next, Armenian NA leader met with Barbara Prammer, President of the National Council of Austria. 

Abrahamyan noted that 2012 marks the 20th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Armenia and Austria. In his words, Armenia underscores the development of relations with Austria. 

“We consider Armenian-Austrian cooperation to be an important component in Armenia’s European integration policy,” NA Speaker stated.  

Abrahamyan also emphasized the development of interparliamentary ties and deemed necessary to enhance interparliamentary collaboration. 

In her turn, Prammer expressed a conviction that parliamentary interaction contributes to strengthening interstate relations, and she considered it necessary to enhance contacts between the parliaments of both countries.

The parties also reflected on regional matters, the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, and other issues of bilateral interest. Prammer stressed that Austria supports the OSCE Minsk Group format.