The functions of the new parliamentary standing committee on Karabakh issues should include all the matters that the committee shall discuss within the scope of its powers. Aghvan Vardanyan, an MP from the opposition "Armenia" Faction, stated this at Friday’s special meeting of the National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs, regarding the parliamentary opposition’s initiative to set up an NA standing committee on the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) issue, and explaining the necessity of forming this committee.

He, in particular, criticized the respective position of the majority "Civil Contract" Faction lawmakers, who claimed that this new committee would, in fact, repeat the functions of a number of already existing committees.

"We are talking about today, about the current realities, and about the Karabakh issue’s of primary importance for the National Assembly of a country that a parliamentary system of government. And I believe we should take this into account," Vardanyan added.