ArmInfo. During the 51st plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC) in Tirana, the ceremony of transferring the chairmanship from Albania to Armenia was held, at which the Deputy Speaker of the Armenian parliament Eduard Sharmazanov delivered a speech.
The Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, in particular, noted: "The Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, for a quarter century, year after year has expanded its activities, becoming one of the most important factors of economic stability in the region. It is very important that the activities of the Assembly, as in previous years, remain practical and business-oriented. The countries of the Black Sea region, characterized by rich historical heritage, multiculturalism and coexistence of different peoples and cultures, united by their readiness to develop cooperation in many areas, based on common economic interests, created an effectively functioning mechanism of interaction based on the advantages of geographical proximity, the enormous potential for cooperation and broad prospects for mutual relations .
The main idea of establishing the PABSEC and its main priority is to strengthen economic cooperation among the BSEC member states. Armenia reaffirms its commitment to this idea and states that for the effective implementation of the PABSEC objectives it is necessary to maintain the economic character of the organization, avoiding its excessive politicization. Interparliamentary and economic diplomacy are tools for development, cooperation and integration. They should in no case be an instrument of political blackmail and pressure. We basically reject the possibility of nominating political prerequisites as a precondition in the process of developing economic cooperation. We condemn the economic blockade of Armenia by Azerbaijan and Turkey, which contradicts the basic principles of the PABSEC. The illegal blockade of Armenia by Turkey and Azerbaijan should remain in the focus of attention of all international structures, including the PABSEC. There is a fact of violation of the principles of international conventions on the part of our neighbors. The blockade impedes the provision of opportunities for Armenia to enjoy all the competitive advantages in equal conditions. As you know, at the initiative of the Republic of Armenia, the process of normalization of relations with Turkey started, which led to the signing of the Zurich protocols in October 2009. Nevertheless, these documents were not ratified, since Turkey put forward unreasonable preconditions, which contradict the spirit and letter of the protocols. Armenia remains committed to the principle of normalizing relations with Turkey without any preconditions. Refusal from economic cooperation can not serve as a tool for resolving political issues; on the contrary, it can further alienate the political solution of existing problems. The solution of political issues is often in ensuring closer economic cooperation, as a tool for strengthening good-neighborly relations and creating favorable conditions for increasing mutual trust and constructive dialogue. Progress in economic cooperation can be achieved thanks to decisions taken in the interests of all parties and respect for the principles of mutual benefit and equality. "