Armenian Vice President Ruben Rubinyan met with members of the Social-Democratic Faction of the German Bundestag on May 20. The meeting was attended by Sargis Khandanyan, the Chair of the Armenian National Assembly's Standing Committee on Foreign Relations. Rubinyan emphasized the steady development of Armenia-Germany relations. Khandanyan presented the Crossroads of Peace project, which was authored by the Armenian government. The Armenian parliamentarians also discussed the programs implemented by the government to address the needs of forcibly displaced people from Nagorno-Karabakh. [cdf0dd21]
Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan met with German Foreign Minister Analena Baerbock in Strasbourg on May 17. They discussed the active political dialogue between the two countries and the opportunities for partnership. They also talked about strengthening democracy and the rule of law in Armenia and the country's interaction with international partners. Minister Mirzoyan presented the latest developments in the process of normalizing Armenia-Azerbaijan relations, including the negotiations on the draft peace treaty in Almaty. They also discussed regional economic programs and Armenia's involvement in renewable energy. The meeting highlighted the importance of continued support from international partners for Armenia's democratic reform and peace agendas. [343896a1]
Armenia's Vice President of the National Assembly, Hakob Arshakyan, met with the Deputy Speaker of the People's Assembly of Syria, Muhammad Al-Ajlani, in Armenia. The meeting took place as part of the events commemorating the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The discussions focused on Armenian-Syrian relations, highlighting the historical significance of Syria for the Armenian people. Vice President Arshakyan addressed regional challenges, security issues, the displacement of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh, and the situation of Armenian prisoners of war and civilian hostages held in Baku. The launch of the delimitation and demarcation process between Armenia and Azerbaijan was seen as a positive development. Vice President Arshakyan presented Armenia's 'Crossroads of Peace' project, which aims to promote regional peace and unblock regional infrastructure. The Deputy Speaker of the People's Assembly of Syria expressed support for Armenia's efforts for peace and the territorial integrity of Armenia. The importance of inter-parliamentary interaction and the activity of Parliamentary Friendship Groups in strengthening cooperation were also emphasized. The President of the National Assembly, Alen Simonyan, also received the Syrian delegation and discussed Armenia's vision for peace. Additionally, French parliamentarians were hosted by the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Defense and Security, where the Chair highlighted Armenia's commitment to achieving peace through the delimitation of the state border. The legislative package debate was postponed, and the Armenia-France Friendship Group met with their French colleagues. [5aa02dc1]
Fuat Oktay, Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (TBMM), discussed the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia with US Congressmen in Washington. The parties also exchanged opinions on Türkiye's priorities regarding the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Türkiye's position on the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, what is happening in Gaza, and the Russia-Ukraine war. [0b1d012d]
Hikmat Hajiyev, the Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration, met with John Bass, US Acting Under Secretary for Political Affairs, Yuri Kim, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasian Affairs, and Robert Gilchrist, Senior Official in the Bureau of Democracy Human Rights and Labor. The meetings discussed bilateral relations, the current regional and global security environment, and the process of normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia. [ec7f08a4]