YEREVAN. - Both the destruction of cross-stones in New Jugha (Armenian quarter of Iran) and the April war once again proved the terrorist nature of Azerbaijan.

Deputy Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly (NA), Eduard Sharmazanov, who is also the head of the Armenian NA delegation to the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Parliamentary Assembly, said the aforementioned on Thursday at the meeting with the Chair of the Russian Federal Assembly State Duma Committee on the CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration and Links with Compatriots, Leonid Kalashnikov.

The Armenian Deputy Speaker offered his condolences to the Russian side over the terrorist assassination of the Russian Ambassador Andrei Karlov in Turkey.  Sharmazanov noted that the Armenian people know through their experience what the state terrorism means: the Armenian Genocide committed as early as 100 years ago, the destruction of thousands of cross-stones by Azerbaijan in New Jugha and this year’s four-day April war are its vivid proof

At the meeting, the sides underscored the need to fight against terrorism by a united front. 

Sharmazanov noted that as the head of the Armenian NA to the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly he attaches importance to the fact that the relevant Committee of the Russian State Duma is holding its first session abroad in Armenia. 

In particular, the NA Deputy Speaker noted: “This comes to once again prove that our ties are developing, the further development and deepening of parliamentary relations stemming from the interests of both states. Nevertheless I think that it is necessary to give new impetus to the Armenian-Russian inter-parliamentary ties.”

Leonid Kalashnikov, for his part, agreed with Armenian NA Deputy Speaker’s view that the Armenian-Russian relations are at a high level.

The sides underscored the importance of the further deepening of the Armenian-Russian inter-parliamentary relations and coordinated work in inter-parliamentary institutions.

Other issues of mutual interest were also discussed.