A visiting delegation from the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia, and led by NA Vice President Eduard Sharmazanov, on Monday met with chairman Vladimir Andreichenko of the Belarusian House of Representatives, in capital city Minsk.

The parties underscored the joint work of the Armenian-Belarusian Interparliamentary Commission, cooperation within the framework of the CSTO, CIS and OSCE Parliamentary Assemblies, and the development of bilateral relations along the lines of the Eurasian Economic Union.

Presenting the key matters that are on Armenia’s foreign policy agenda, Sharmazanov stressed that effectively confronting security challenges is of key importance to the country. In this context, he reflected on the avenues for pacifically resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) conflict.

“The sole obstacle to progress in [respective] negotiations is the destructive position of Azerbaijan,” the deputy speaker of the Armenian parliament said. “That country refuses the full realization of the people of Artsakh’s right to self-determination, whereas the settlement of the conflict shall guarantee the implementation of the inalienable rights of the people of Artsakh. Artsakh has as much right to independence as Armenia, Belarus, and Azerbaijan.”