Armenia is Determined: Alen Simonyan Meets with Kazakhstan Senate President

The Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia, Alen Simonyan, met with the President of the Senate of Kazakhstan, Maulen Ashimbayev, on April 14 in St. Petersburg during the meeting of the Council and plenary session of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the CIS, as reported by the press service of the National Assembly.

Speaker Simonyan congratulated his Kazakh counterpart on the parliamentary elections held in a competitive environment in March. The parties noted that the cooperation between Armenia and Kazakhstan is friendly, with active political dialogue being an important factor in both bilateral and multilateral formats.

During the meeting, issues of mutual interest were discussed, emphasizing the importance of joint programs for parliamentarians. Maulen Ashimbayev provided Alen Simonyan with information regarding upcoming legislative changes in their country, which will result in more flexible cooperation with the parliaments of the CIS countries.

Speaker Simonyan presented the ongoing tense situation in Armenia and Artsakh following the 44-day war. He noted that on April 11, a group of Azerbaijani armed forces approached Armenian servicemen under the pretext of clarifying border checkpoints in the Syunik region, firing upon Armenian positions with small arms and then with heavier weapons.

He added that the Armenian Armed Forces responded and defended the sovereignty of the Republic of Armenia, resulting in casualties and injuries.

Simonian stated that Armenia is determined to promote peace in the region, expressing hope that Kazakhstan will also engage in this matter as international partners actively work together. The Speaker also expressed concern regarding cooperation between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan in areas that came under Baku's control as a result of the war.

The parties addressed the role of the Armenian community in Kazakhstan in strengthening Armenian-Kazakh relations. The Kazakh counterpart emphasized the active participation of the Armenian community in the country’s social and political life.