YEREVAN. – National Assembly (NA) of Armenia Vice President Eduard Sharmazanov, who also heads the NA Armenia-Lithuania Parliamentary Friendship Group, on Thursday received Lithuanian Ambassador Erikas Petrikas.

Sharmazanov assessed Armenian-Lithuanian relations as friendly, and noted that they are developing on a yearly basis, the NA informed Armenian News-NEWS.am. He also pointed out that Lithuania was the first to recognize the independence of Armenia, in 1991.

In addition, the deputy speaker of the Armenian parliament positively assessed the Lithuanian authorities’ balanced position on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict, and its support, which is consistent with the respective position of the European Union. Eduard Sharmazanov noted yet again that the Armenian party to this conflict is against a military solution to this problem.

Ambassador Petrikas, in turn, likewise stated that Armenian-Lithuanian ties are actively developing, and that progress is achieved in interparliamentary relations, too. Also, the diplomat congratulated the Armenian nation on the 25th anniversary of Armenia’s independence, and conveyed the Lithuanian Seimas (parliament) speaker’s respective message of congratulations to the president of the Armenian NA.

At the ensuing talk, the interlocutors discussed bilateral relations. In this connection, the Lithuanian ambassador expressed appreciation for the opportunity to export Lithuanian goods to Armenia as well as to Iran—via Armenia.