Legislative bodies of Armenia and Russia expressed support for joint  efforts within the CSTO framework to ensure stable and peaceful  development of the South Caucasus

ArmInfo.A joint meeting of  the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations of the National Assembly  of Armenia and the Council of Federation Committee on Foreign Affairs  was held in Moscow.

As the press service of the Armenian parliament told ArmInfo, during  the meeting the sides noted that in 2017 it was 25 years since the  establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and Armenia. At  the same time, the parties highly appreciated the existing mechanism  of interparliamentary cooperation within the framework of the  bilateral Russian-Armenian political dialogue.

The sides expressed their satisfaction with the progressive  development and strengthening of the friendly and cooperative  relations between the two states, underscored the closeness or  convergence of positions on the international agenda, in particular  those relating to the construction of a world order based on the  strengthening of multipolarity, international institutions and  observance of universally recognized principles and norms of  international law.

Issues related to regional security were discussed at the meeting,  support was expressed for joint efforts within the CSTO framework to  ensure a stable and peaceful development of the South Caucasus. The  sides confirmed the desire to continue to seek a peaceful and  mutually acceptable solution to the Nagorno- Karabakh conflict on the  basis of the principles contained in the joint statements of the  presidents of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries.

At the same time, the sides stressed the need to continue the course  on strengthening cooperation both internationally and regionally to  counter extremism and illegal migration, combating terrorism and  illicit trafficking in drugs and other illicit drugs. 

"Having discussed the prospects for economic cooperation within the  framework of the Eurasian Economic Union and the integration  dynamics, the sides noted the successes in the field of trade and  economic cooperation and stressed the importance of deepening and  developing mutual economic integration in order to achieve the goals  and tasks of the EAEC as a modern, efficient and competitive  association that fosters the strengthening of integration cooperation  and the additional growth of the economies of its member countries.  The parties confirmed their readiness to continue the work aimed at  facilitating the movement of money, goods, labor and services in  order to create a favorable investment climate and establish inter-  regional cooperation, "the press service of the National Assembly of  Armenia said.  At the same time, the report says that after  discussing the state of interparliamentary cooperation at  international parliamentary platforms: the IPA CIS, the CSTO PA, the  Inter-Parliamentary Union, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and  others, the sides noted the positive dynamics of interaction between  the two countries, which allowed developing new approaches in the  sphere of interparliamentary cooperation within the framework of  bilateral relations , expressed their readiness to coordinate their  actions within the framework of international parliamentary  organizations.  The parties paid special attention to parliamentary  diplomacy as an integral element of the country's foreign policy  activities.-v- 

"The parties consider that joint meetings give an additional impetus  to the development and harmonization of national legislations, as  well as to the improvement of law enforcement practice. The parties  confirmed readiness and interest to actively cooperate within the  framework of the 137th Assembly of the Inter- Parliamentary Union in  the city of St. Petersburg on October 14-18, 2017. The parties agreed  to hold the next joint meeting in the city of Yerevan in the first  half of 2018, service of the National Assembly of the Republic of  Armenia.