YEREVAN. – Lithuania was the first to recognize Armenia’s independence, and it is the sole Baltic country to recognize the Armenian Genocide. 

Armenian National Assembly Vice-Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov stated the aforesaid Saturday, at his talk with a delegation from the Lithuania-Artsakh (i.e., Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR)) friendship group of the Lithuanian Seimas (Parliament).    

Reflecting on the strengthening of interparliamentary ties, Sharmazanov underscored the respective role of the parliamentary friendship groups. He also praised the setting up of the aforesaid friendship group in the Lithuanian parliament, noted that its establishment is a de facto evidence NKR’s independence, and added that there is no alternative to Artsakh’s international recognition.

Lithuania-Artsakh friendship group head Dalia Kuodytė, for her part, stated that she considers the setting up of this group only natural, and highlighted the exercising of the right of peoples to self-determination.

During the subsequent talk, the parties reflected on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict’s pacific settlement based on the precepts of the right of peoples to self-determination, territorial integrity, and ruling out the use of—or the threat of using—force.