Belgian delegation led by EAFJD visiting the Stepanakert Memorial Complex.
BRUSSELS — A delegation from Belgium, comprised of members of the Flemish Parliament (Vlaams Parlement) Karim Van Overmeire (N-VA), Marc Hendrickx (N-VA), Ward Kennes (CD&V), Karl Vanlouwe (N-VA), two teachers from Aalst, Griet Meireman and Catherine van den Nest, and Professor Paul Meerts, Senior Associate at the Netherlands Institute of International Relations ‘Clingendael’ (The Hague) and visiting Professor at the College of Europe (Bruges) have been on a four study day visit to the Republic of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh Republic – Artsakh.
The delegation is headed by the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (EAFJD) President Kaspar Karampetian, coordinated by EAFJD EU Affairs officer Heghine Evinyan, supported by two members of the Armenian National Committee of Belgium, Ashkhen Fixova and Adana Kotanjian. Republic of Armenia National Assembly member Tevan Poghosyan has also joined them.
On Sunday, some members of the delegation first visited the Armenian Genocide memorial complex in Tsitsernakapert, Yerevan, and later paid a visit to the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute. They later visited the classical Hellenistic temple in Garni, and the Geghard medieval monastery.
On Monday, upon the arrival of all members to Yerevan, the delegation visited the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, where they had meetings with the deputy speaker of the parliament, Eduard Sharmazanov, who expressed his for the Belgian parliament’s reaffirmation of its stance on the Armenian Genocide. The delegation also met the chairman of the standing committee on foreign relations, head of the EURONEST parliamentary assembly, Artak Zakaryan, as well as MPs Tevan Poghosyan and Aghvan Vardanyan.
The delegation left for Artsakh Monday in order to be there to continue their visit on March 15.
On March 15, the delegation started its day by visiting the Stepanakert memorial complex and laid wreaths in memory of the victims. Then, the delegation was divided into two parts, the teachers visited schools in Stepanakert where they had meetings with students. They are also expected to visit Artsakh State University, where Professor Meerts will present the subject “international negotiation processâ€
