CIS parties’ delegates to talk over supranational party format

YEREVAN, November 12. /ARKA/. The delegates of the CIS political parties will discuss setting a supranational party format during the consultations kicked off in Yerevan on Monday, the deputy chairman of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia, Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan said, Novosti-Armenia reports. 

Russia’s ruling United Russia party, Ukraine’s Party of Regions, people’s democratic party of Kazakhstan Nur Otan, Armenia’s Republican Party, Prosperous Armenia, Karabakh’s Free Motherland party and Democratic Party of Artsakh (Armenian name for Nagorno-Karabakh) as observers, as well as ambassadors of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan to Armenia are participating in two-day Eurasian inter-party consultations in Yerevan. 

“Such events enable us to, first of all, unite the political elites and include interstate cooperation programs into the agenda,” Mr. Ashotyan said.

According to him, Republicans highly emphasize the inter-party cooperation format actively working with the European People’s Party and sustaining traditionally friendly relations with the United Russia.

He expressed his hopes that CIS supranational coordinative body will be established.

“We hope the next steps will be directed to the formation of the supranational party format on a voluntarily basis,” Mr. Ashotyan added. 

The states have been collaborating through their governments and parliaments.

“But their structure is periodically changing, and the inter-party format will allow us to sustain secure relations between the political elites, create stronger cooperation regardless of individuals,” Education and Science Minister noted.

On his side, Andrey Klimov, a member of the United Russia’s presidium, the man in charge of the party’s international affairs and RF Federation Council’s international relations, said the event held in Yerevan is an important and new step. 

“The matter is that the Eurasian space is integrating in different forms today, on different levels. There are related statements released by our countries. Three states have already united into the Eurasian Economic Union, and Armenia is an observer in this process. Together with our Armenian colleagues and some other CIS states we have established the Eurasian Development Bank . It means we are moving forward, and this is a new phase for our movement, a new party format,” Klimov said.

He reminded about the first party consultations held in Kazan in June by the Eurasian dialogue (headed by Klimov). The delegates agreed at that time to officially meet in Yerevan to discuss party format of the Eurasian integration. According to him, the next part of the forum will be held in St. Petersburg on 3 December.

 

“To make you realize the importance we attach to these events, I should say that the next forum of the Eurasian dialogue, during which we will hold a round table over the party format, will precede publication of a special collection of articles on this event. The authors of the articles are Vladimir Putin, Valentina Matvienko, Sergey Narishkin, Sergey Lavrov,” he noted.

Klimov also added that during the consultations in Yerevan the delegates will attempt to draft all the proposals and discuss opportunities for launching a special body that would coordinate the efforts of the centre- right parties of the post Soviet republics. 

“Though, I should admit our actions raised interest not only on the post Soviet territory.”

He also said the number of delegates on the next forum may increase.

“We have already received applications from some Balkan parties. Thus, we are really at the verge of very important events related to appearance of a large multilateral party platform,” he resumed. —0-