Indian Parliament speaker expresses solidarity and support to Armenia

ArmInfo. On March 2, in New Delhi the Vice President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia,  the Head of Armenia-India Friendship Group Hakob Arshakyan within the framework of the 8th Edition of Raisina Dialogue 2023 Conference met  with the Speaker of the Lok Sabha (Parliament) of the Republic of India Shri Om Birla.

The NA Vice President thanked Shri Om Birla for warmly receiving and  hosting the delegation led by him.  He noted that this Conference is  a wonderful opportunity for holding bilateral meetings and discussing  mutually concerning issues. Armenia highlights the bilateral and  multi-lateral cooperation with India. The NA Vice President  documented with satisfaction that since the establishment of  diplomatic relations, during the last 30 years numerous mutual  official and working visits took place, which testifies to the high  level of friendly relations existing between two countries.

Hakob Arshakyan touched upon the Azerbaijani aggression that that  country grossly violated the assumed obligations by itself with  trilateral statement of November 9, 2020 and closed the Lachin  Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno Karabakh with the outside  world. The security of 120.000 Armenians appeared under direct  threat, the supply of food and other goods of basic necessity and  energy carriers to Artsakh. He noted that Armenia appreciates the  statement made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India, where it  underscores that the Azerbaijani armed forces should withdraw from  the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia and emphasizes the  condemnation voiced by the Indian side on the aggression unleashed by  Azerbaijan against Armenia last September and the blockade of the  Lachin Corridor from December 2022.

The NA Vice President mentioned that from May 12, 2021 the  Azerbaijani armed forces three times violated the territorial  integrity of the Republic of Armenia and illegally invaded the  sovereign territory of Armenia.

Welcoming the RA NA Delegation, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha  (Parliament) of the Republic of India Shri Om Birla noted that he  highlights to the deepening of the friendly ties existing between two  parliaments and underscored that such visits and bilateral contacts  boost the cooperation and promote the development of the relations  between the two countries in different formats.

The Speaker of Parliament of India expressed his solidarity and  support to the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian people in  overcoming the existing challenges.

Hakob Arshakyan underlined that he attaches special importance to the  development and strengthening of the inter-parliamentary relations  between Armenia and India. The Parliament Deputy Speaker mentioned  that Armenia-India Friendship Group led by him functions in the RA  National Assembly and stressed that the formation of the Friendship  Group with Armenia also would be wonderful in Parliament of India,  which will create great opportunity for active and close cooperation.

Armenia is concerned about the development of mutually beneficial  collaboration with friendly India in different fields, including  trade, transport and communication, defense, health, agriculture,  culture, science and education, information and high technologies,  tourism, etc.

At the end of the meeting the Speaker of Parliament of India  expressed hope that he will host the delegation led by the NA  President of Armenia in New Delhi.

Hakob Arshakyan conveyed the Speaker of legislative body of India the  RA NA President's invitation to visit Armenia.

The sides also discussed other issues of bilateral interest.

The members of Armenia-India Friendship Group Aren Mkrtchyan and  Tsovinar Vardanyan, the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to  India Youri Babakhanian also took part in the meeting.