YEREVAN, DECEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The 15th sitting of the Interparliamentary Commission on cooperation between the RA National Assembly and RF Federal Assembly took place on December 5 in Yerevan. The issue of commission members' participation in the events dedicated to Spitak earthquake's 20th anniversary was discussed at the sitting. According to commission's Russian Co-chairman Nikolay Rizhkov, the Russian people, who was one of the first ones to come to help those who suffered from the earthquake, remembers those tragic days up to the present and honors the memory of earthquake victims. Lyudmila Sliska, the RF State Duma Vice-Chairwoman, read the address of State Duma Chairman Boris Gryzlov mentioning that the 1988 earthquake is one of the most dramatic events in Armenia's history. The two countries' parliamentarians will visit Gyumri on December 7, where they will take part in the unveiling ceremony of a monument to Innocent Victims, Merciful Hearts. As N. Rizhkov mentioned, the monument has been created with the funds of the Armenian community of Russia, and the author is renowned Russian sculptor, emigrant from Gyumri Fridrich Soghoyan. Monument's model was handed to NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamian and Interparliamentary Commission's Co-chairman Aram Safarian. The RA NA Speaker awarded a Medal of Honor to N. Rizhkov for his great contribution to development of friendship between the peoples. He said that the destructive earthquake of 1988 was a great tragedy for Armenia, the whole world came to help Armenia, and Armenia with respect and gratitude remembers representatives of all countries, including Russia. According to him, for the great assistance provided in those hard days Nikolay Rizhkov's name is imprinted in Armenian people's heart for ever.

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