Canadian Parliamentarians Visit Armenia

A Canadian parliamentary delegation including Hon. Harold Albrecht (Conservative Party), Chairman of Canada - Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group, Hon. Rob Oliphant (Liberal Party), and Hon. Tony Martin (NDP), paid an official visit to Armenia from September 6 to 10, 2010.

The Canadian Parliamentarians met with H.E. Mr. Serzh Sargsyan, President of the Republic of Armenia, H.E. Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan, Speaker of the National Assembly, H.E. Mr. Tigran Sargsyan, Prime Minister, H.E. Mr. Edward Nalbandian, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Gagik Beglaryan, Mayor of the City of Yerevan. At the National Assembly Canadian Parliamentarians also met with their colleagues from the Armenia-Canada Parliamentary Friendship group.

Discussions during the meetings were mainly centered on bilateral political and economic relations between Armenia and Canada and the possibilities of their further expansion and development.  Both sides agreed that establishment of a Canadian embassy in Yerevan would greatly contribute to this important objective. The Canadian side also noted that the Armenian community in Canada, that has greatly contributed to Canada’s economy, political life and culture, has also been an important factor in the development of friendship between the two countries.

While in Yerevan, the Canadian Parliamentarians had a meeting with Mr. Karlen Avetisian, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh in Armenia.

The delegation visited and laid wreaths to the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial for the Victims of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire. At the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, centre of Armenian Christianity, the delegation was greeted by His Eminence Bishop Bagrat Galstanian, Primate of the Armenian Church Canadian Diocese. Several other important historical and cultural sites were also included in the programme of the visit.