YEREVAN. - Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia, Eduard Sharmazanov, who is also the co-chairman of the Armenian-Estonian friendship group, on Tuesday received President of the National Defense Committee of the Estonian parliament, Hannes Hanso, and Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Marco Mihkelson.

Welcoming the Estonian deputies in the Armenian NA, Eduard Sharmazanov noted that in the recent years serious progress was recorded in the Armenian-Estonian inter-parliamentary relations. He expressed his gratitude for the exhibition commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide held at the National Library of Estonia and the concert held in St. John’s Church of Tallinn.

The NA Deputy Speaker highly appreciated these steps of the Estonian authorities, expressing hope that Estonia will soon join the countries, which have recognized the Armenian Genocide.

Referring to the Armenia-EU relations, Sharmazanov noted that Armenia is positive about developing bilateral relations. He lauded the role of EU in the ongoing institutional reforms in Armenia.

Touching on the regional issues, the Deputy Speaker noted that Turkey keeps the border with Armenia close, ignoring all the international obligations, the policy conducted by the Turkish authorities destabilizing the situation in the region.

Speaking about the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, Sharmazanov reconfirmed Armenia’s stance: like Europe, Armenia is against the military solution of the conflict.

In the context of the military aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan against Nagorno-Karabakh last April, the Armenian official noted that a few days ago the OSCE Minsk Group for the first time gave a targeted assessment to the steps of Azerbaijan aimed at destabilizing the situation in the region. 

In the deputy speaker’s words, Azerbaijan should recognize the right of the Artsakh people to live freely and independently. Now the Artsakh people are fighting for liberty and independence, he added.

Hannes Hanso, for his part, noted that the framework agreement with Armenian will be signed during the Estonian chairmanship in the EU, it being a great responsibility for Estonia to assume the EU Chairmanship. He also referred to the deepening of cooperation between the EU states within the framework of the Eastern Partnership, as well as the visa waiver and the Eastern Partnership summit to be held in Brussels.

By the end of the meeting, Sharmazanov touched on the constitutional changes, the parliamentary governance system and the bills to be discussed in the parliament in the future.