All the favorable conditions are available to further enhance the Armenian-Bulgarian ties, Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly Ara Babloyan said at today’s meeting with Speaker of the Bulgarian National Assembly Tsveta Karayancheva in Geneva on the sidelines of the 138th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the parliament press service told Panorama.am.

Documenting that good tradition has already been formed between the Friendship Groups functioning in the legislative bodies of the two countries, Mr Babloyan highlighted the role of parliamentary diplomacy in terms of strengthening bilateral relations and deepening cooperation.

The top Armenian official congratulated his Bulgarian counterpart on assuming the Presidency of the EU Council and wished her success. “We share the motto of the Presidency of Bulgaria – ‘United We Stand Strong’,” he said.

Speaking about the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed between Armenia and the European Union in Brussels in November 2017, the head of Armenia’s parliament stated that the agreement opens up a new page in the Armenia-EU relations. Ara Babloyan expressed the hope that Bulgaria would ratify the CEPA within a shorter period of time.

“Mrs Speaker, I am glad for our meeting and I believe that such regular meetings will give new impetus to the development of inter-state relations and strengthening of mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation,” Babloyan said.

Tsveta Karayancheva thanked the senior Armenian lawmaker for the meeting and noted: “I assure you that on behalf of Bulgaria, Armenia has a good friend which will support Armenia in its cooperation with the European Union.”

Tsveta Karayancheva invited Ara Babloyan to visit Bulgaria.

The sides agreed to deepen the parliamentary cooperation, as well as to undertake necessary steps towards the development of cooperation between the two countries in different spheres.

The National Assembly of Armenia ratified the bill on creating Russian-Armenian Joint Group of Forces on Thursday, during the third session of the four-day sitting.

The measure was adopted with 87 votes in favor and 7 votes against.

To remind, the Russian State Duma ratified the above-mentioned agreement on July 14.

The agreement signed in Moscow on November 30 2016 determines the purpose, the procedure of formation, deployment and operation of the joint group of forces. The alliance is formed in the Caucasian Region of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, aimed at timely detecting the possible attacks, maintaining control over the two country’s land borders, as well as taking part in air-defense and information infrastructure protection operations.

Under the deal, the staff of the Joint Group of Forces will be determined by the Russian and Armenian Defense Ministries based on the joint analysis of the military-political situation, as well as the agreed conclusions.

The agreement’s validity period is five years with a possibility of further extension.

Armenian parliament speaker meets with Bulgarian counterpart in Geneva

Armenian parliament ratifies deal on joint troops with Russia