At the 51 the plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC) in Tirana, Armenia assumed the chairmanship of the Assembly.
Addressing the session, Vice-President of the Armenian National Assembly Edward Sharmazanov said “BSEC PA is expanding year by year, becoming an important tool of establishment of economic stability in the region.”
He noted that for the effective implementation of the goals of BSEC PA it is necessary to maintain the economic nature of the organization, avoiding politicization.
“Inter-parliamentary diplomacy and economic development are integration tools that should never be used as tools for propaganda and blackmail,” Sharmazanov said.
“We strongly deny any attempt to pose political preconditions as a primary condition for development of economic cooperation. We condemn the economic blockade of Armenia by Turkey and Azerbaijan, which contradicts the fundamental principles of BSEC,” the Vice-Speaker added.
He stated that Armenia’s illegal blockade should be in the focus of international organizations, including BSEC. “The blockade prevents Armenia from demonstrating its competitive privileges in equal conditions,” he said.
“Refusal from economic cooperation cannot serve as a tool for solving political problems,” Sharmazanov said.
