National Assembly speaker Hovik Abrahamyan said that the agenda of four-day parliament session consists of three parts, the first one including 34 bills, the second not envisaging discussion of bills and the third consisting of 99 items, with 28 international agreements and treaties included. He also informed that Heritage party bill on Recognition of NKR’s Independence was also put on the session agenda, although the relevant committee has not given a positive conclusion on it.

Secretary of Prosperous Armenia parliamentary group Aram Safaryan said that the group supports recognition of NKR’s independence, but it will vote against the Heritage-submitted bill. “Recognition of NKR’s independence would hamper the talks going on in the OSCE Minsk Group format. However, if the Minsk Group reaches a deadlock, we do not exclude the possibility of the bill’s adoption,” Safaryan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said that as long as the negotiation process is under way and there is hope for the peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict, there is no need for additional actions. “We have not recognized Nagorno Karabakh yet and without doing so we cannot recognize, for example, Kosovo, which has the right to independence but not more than Karabakh, or all other newly formed states, which are recognized by some countries, but not by the international community. However, if Azerbaijan’s ongoing threats result in breakdown, we will certainly have to take action,” Minister Nalbandian said.

Chairman of the Constitutional Right Union Hayk Babukhanyan has said that present-day Azerbaijan is a fascist country, where people are awarded for killing Armenians. “Given this fact, Armenia should withdraw from the negotiation process over the Karabakh conflict resolution. Yerevan should not hold talks with Baku, unless forces disposed to negotiations with Armenia come to power in Azerbaijan,” he said.

In an interview with Profile Ukrainian magazine, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan stated that establishment of diplomatic relations and opening of the border with Turkey will be of benefit not only to Armenia and Turkey but the entire region. “The decision to launch a process of normalization of relations with Turkey was one of the hardest ones I have ever taken. Yes, Turks committed Genocide and continue denying this fact even 100 years later. Denial of a crime is the worst crime. But, on the other hand, almost all countries across the globe experienced historical problems. Civilized response to such problems is cooperation without preconditions. Our initiative was perceived in different ways, specifically by Diaspora Armenians. It’s quite understandable, because each Armenian family suffered at that time. However, opinions tend to change and more people believe that the Armenian authorities took the right step. Our initiative did not conflict with our national interests. Normalization of relations with Turkey does not mean renouncement of the Armenian Genocide worldwide recognition campaign. Now, Armenia is awaiting the Turkish to display political will,” President Sargsyan said.

Armenia-Turkey Protocols should be withdrawn from Armenian parliament’s agenda, Turkey being unready to establish ties, according to ARF Dashnaktsutyun parliamentary group member Hrayr Karapetyan. “Turkey will not open the border with Armenia, agreeing to rapprochement only at the expense of Armenia’s national interests,” Karapetyan said.

Commenting on reports about the closing of Upper Lars checkpoint, Georgia’s charge d’affaires in Armenia Gocha Gvaramadze said he doesn’t possess any information of the kind. “Problems often arouse but the Armenian side finds alternative routes for transportation of cargo.”

Armenian Defense Ministry reported that all participants in Youtube video showing acts of violence among servicemen have been revealed and conveyed to the Military Police. A criminal case has been initiated.

A rally of the Armenian National Congress (ANC) took place in Yerevan on September 17, bringing together 2,000 people. ANC Coordinator Levon Zurabyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter that the event launches a new season of rallies.

According to ARF Dashnaktsutyun parliamentary group member Alvard Petrosyan, rallies will not help the ANC succeed in political struggle, with the number of their supporters progressively dwindling, “ANC must forget the 1988,” she said, hailing the Armenian authorities’ decision to disallow ANC access to Liberty Square.