YEREVAN. - Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly (NA) Ara Babloyan on Tuesday received the delegation led by Baroness Caroline Cox, who is the member of House of Lords of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the NA press service informed Armenian News – NEWS.am.

Welcoming the guests, Ara Babloyan highly appreciated the pro-Armenian activity of Caroline Cox, her commitment to universal human values and principles of democracy, as well as the warm treatment towards Armenia and Armenian people.

The Speaker underscored the importance of the role of the Baroness in the development and enhancement of Armenian-British ties.

Babloyan expressed satisfaction with the fact that the agenda of bilateral relations between Armenia and UK is gradually expanding, recording the intensification of political dialogue.

He also thanked for the support of the UK government to the economic and democratic reforms underway in Armenia, underscoring the importance of the application in Armenia of the experience of a country, which has great experience in parliamentary governance.

Referring to the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Speaker underscored the importance of the balanced stance of the UK in this issue, noting: “I am equally sorry for the death of both Armenian and Azerbaijani youths: they are not guilty of the fact that the issue is not resolved at the negotiation table,” he said.

According to Babloyan, the world should recognize the right of the Artsakh people to free life, while Armenia and Azerbaijan have an opportunity to peacefully negotiate round that issue.

Highly appreciating the role of the UK in the development of global civilization, Babloyan highlighted the importance of the actions aimed at the defense of human rights, establishment of democracy and development of freedom of speech in Armenia, underscoring the need for dialogue between Europe and Asia.

Thanking for the reception, Baroness Caroline Cox, for her part, noted that the Armenian people were not only reborn but also revived. She recorded the progress in Armenia, noting that she would like to present to the entire world the impressions she got in Armenia.

The baroness also noted that she has adopted the principle of having open eyes, ears and mind and is going to present what she saw to the entire world.  Moreover, she added that Azerbaijan is continuously conducting an aggressive policy against Armenia and Artsakh. According to Cox, the world should recognize the deportation of the Armenian population in Nakhchivan, as well as the destruction of cultural monuments by Azerbaijan. 

By the end of the meeting, the Baroness had a stroll with Speaker Babloyan in the park and had a look at the apple tree planted by her several years ago.