Parliamentary delegation arrives in Yerevan (Updated)

A delegation of the House foreign affairs committee, headed by its chairman and the president of the Cyprus-Armenia interparliamentary cooperation committee Harris Georgiades, began contacts in Yerevan on Monday.

The delegation, which will have contacts with the political and state leadership of Armenia, includes committee Vice Chair Marios Mavrides, George Loukaides, Marina Nikolaou, Chrysis Pantelides, Marios Garoyian and Armenian Representative in the House Vartkes Mahtesian.

The delegation said that Cypriots are in a position to fully understand the pain caused by war and becoming refugees, underlining Cyprus’ readiness to offer humanitarian and financial support.

They referred to the humanitarian crisis stemming from the recent developments in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Georgiades strongly condemned the unprovoked attack by Azerbaijan against the Armenian population in Nagorno-Karabakh.

He also expressed deep concern over Turkey’s involvement and support.

The three-day official visit comes following an invitation from the Armenia-Cyprus interparliamentary cooperation committee to the National Assembly of Armenia.

The delegation was received by President Vahagn Khachaturyan, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Speaker of the National Assembly Alen Simonyan.

The delegation also meet President Hayk Konjoryan and members of the National Assembly of Armenia. They are also expected to hold separate meetings with Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and Defence Minister Suren Papikyan.

As part of the visit, which ends on Tuesday, the delegation will visit places of historical and cultural interest in Armenia.

Meanwhile Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan expressed to President Nikos Christodoulides on Sunday the commitment to further expand existing cooperation between the countries on the occasion of Cyprus’ Independence Day.

Pashinyan said Armenia attaches importance to the ongoing development of fraternal relations with “our friend Cyprus”, adding that the intensity of meetings between the two countries testified to the firm commitment for further expansion of mutually beneficial cooperation.

“The traditional friendly relations of the two brotherly peoples, based on a common historical and cultural rich heritage and a common value system, continue to be strengthened,” the Armenian prime minister said.