ArmInfo. Vice-Speaker of the National Assembly, Head of the Armenia-Lithuania Friendship Group Eduard Sharmazanov received on February 27 the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Lithuania to Armenia Erikas Petrikas.
As the press service of the Parliament reports, Sharmazanov positively assessed the level of development of the Armenian-Lithuanian relations, emphasizing the personal efforts of Ambassador Petrikas in expanding both inter-state and inter-parliamentary relations. Eduard Sharmazanov congratulated the people of Lithuania on the 100th anniversary of the restoration of independence. He noted with gratitude that Lithuania is the first country to recognize Armenia's independence, and so far the only one from the Baltic countries that recognized the fact of the Armenian Genocide.
The Vice Speaker also turned to the condemnation and criminalization of the denial of genocides. He noted that in connection with the 70th anniversary of the UN adoption of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the Armenian Parliament initiates the organization in some countries of an exposition "Parliamentarians against genocide". It is noted that an exhibition on the Turkish policy of denial is scheduled for April 30 in the Slovak capital of Bratislava. The possibility of organizing such an exhibition in Lithuania was touched upon.
The issues of development of Armenia-European Union relations are discussed. In the assessment of Sharmazanov, Lithuania as a member state of the EU can become a reliable bridge in Armenia-EU relations. Referring to the RA-EU comprehensive and expanded partnership agreement, he stressed the importance of early ratification of the document by the Lithuanian parliament. The Ambassador in his turn highlighted the importance of signing a new agreement of the Republic of Armenia - the EU, which, he said, creates broad opportunities for the development of various spheres.