YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–The Armenian parliamentary delegation–led by National Assembly Speaker Khosrov Harutiunian–on a two day working visit–arrived in Moscow Wednesday.
The delegation includes the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on foreign relations Hovhannes Igitian–and parliament members Zaruhi Arevshatian and Gagik Tadevossian.
In an official visit to the Council of Federation (the Upper House of the Russian Parliament)–Harutiunian met with Chairman Yegor Stroyev. During the meeting Harutiunian noted that Armenia’s relations with Russia remain constant.
The sides paid particular attention to boosting economic relations between Armenia and Russia. Speaking of regional problems the sides agreed that negotiations were the only way to settle conflicts.
Harutiunian also met with his Russian counterpart Gennady Seleznev of the State Duma–and raised the question of unfreezing about $8 million–earmarked to assist the earthquake area–which has been frozen at the USSR’s Vnesheconombank. A certain agreement was reached to that effect.
Harutiunian–Stroyev and Seleznev signed a tripartite agreement on interparliamentary cooperation. With this agreement–the National Assembly of Armenia and two houses of the Russian parliament formed a standing committee to promote development of legislative–political–economic and international relations.
The same day Harutiunian and his delegation visited Aleksei II–Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church. Harutiunian also met with the Russian Minister for Cooperation with CIS Countries to discuss bilateral relations.