Zatulin caused Pashinyan not to participate in ``Lazarev Club``  meeting by involvement in election campaign

ArmInfo. Do we view the  ''Lazarev Club'' as a free platform for exchanging opinions? By  today's meeting we want to establish some kind of club traditions,  including frank conversation and transparency for the media. On  November 30, the first deputy chairman of the Russian State Duma  Committee on CIS Affairs and Relations with Compatriots Konstantin  Zatulin, summing up the first session, told reporters in Yerevan on  the margins of the first plenary session of the Lazarev Club.

He stated that over 200 guests from politicians and experts to  journalists from Russia and Armenia were invited to participate in  this event.

"We invited everyone, despite the fact that we realized that not all  of them can accept it. But we wanted to avoid any reproach to our  address, especially in the context of the internal political  processes in Armenia, on the eve of the elections, that we give  preference to someone either. Then it all depends on the desires of  the participants, "he said.

At the same time, Zatulin added that the work of the meeting will  continue after the laying of wreaths at the memorial of the victims  of the Genocide. "We consider this an important step. Recall that the  First State Duma of the RA in 1995 recognized this Genocide, which  was not done by other states that have such interest around the  world, but cannot come off to recognize the Armenian Genocide in the  Ottoman Empire, having recognized the non-existent the famine of the  Ukrainian people is genocide - I mean the United States, "he said.   At the same time, the Russian parliamentarian stressed that during  tomorrow's club meeting they expect interesting discussions on  Nagorno-Karabakh with the participation of Artsakh President Bako  Sahakyan and others.

On the question of whether the office of the Prime Minister of  Armenia explained the absence of Pashinyan to the event, due to the  fact that he was also invited, Zatulin, in particular, said: "The  Prime Minister's office did not explain his absence, but we  understood that he was involved on election trips. Probably, that's  what explains, "he said.

At the same time, Zatulin reminded that invitations to participate in  the event were sent to all the presidents of Armenia, as well as to  the current leadership. He also informed that the Russian  participants of the event will be received tomorrow by Armenian  President Armen Sarkissian, immediately upon returning from a foreign  trip.