Armenian, Belgian MPs discuss cooperation, regional agenda

PanARMENIAN.Net - Members of the Armenia-Belgium parliamentary friendship groups discussed interparliamentary relations and regional developments during a meeting held on March 30.

Armen Rustamyan, head of the Armenia-Belgium friendship group of Armenia’s National Assembly, together with members Shirak Torosyan, Alexey Sandikov, and Hripsime Hunanyan, met with representatives of the Belgium-Armenia friendship group of the Belgian parliament.

Welcoming the Belgian colleagues, Rustamyan noted that over the past five years, during which the Armenia-Belgium friendship group has been active, numerous opportunities have been created to discuss issues of mutual interest. He added that the meeting served as a good occasion to summarize the work carried out with partners.

Addressing regional developments, Rustamyan referred to relations with Azerbaijan and the ongoing peace process. In his assessment, long-term and sustainable peace can only be ensured if all existing issues are resolved.

During the meeting, the sides discussed a range of topics, including close Armenia-Belgium relations, interparliamentary cooperation, the initialed agreement “On the establishment of peace and interstate relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan,” the rights of persons forcibly displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh and the possibility of their return, the issue of releasing detainees held in Baku, as well as upcoming parliamentary elections and constitutional amendments in Armenia.

Els Van Hoof, head of the Belgium-Armenia friendship group of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Belgium, emphasized the friendly relations formed between the two countries and highlighted the importance of parliamentary cooperation in this context.

“The friendship between Armenia and Belgium is based on shared and common values — democracy, rule of law, peace, and stability. These are our common values, which are widely discussed in the Belgian parliament, including the topic of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict,” she said, adding that over the past five years, the Belgian parliament has adopted four resolutions related to Armenia.

Shirak Torosyan, a member of the Armenia-Belgium friendship group, presented the official positions on the discussed issues to European colleagues, stressing the importance of the ongoing process aimed at establishing sustainable and irreversible peace.