YEREVAN - An Armenian parliamentary delegation led by speaker Armen Khachatrian wrapped up a two-day visit to Stepanakert on Friday with a pledge to increase technical and legislative assistance to the parliament of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabagh Republic (NKR).

Khachatrian described as "extremely useful" his meetings with NKR President Arkady Ghukasian and the leadership of the local assembly. His Karabagh counterpart, Oleg Yesayan, said the trip marked a "turning point" in the close interaction between the two closely integrated Armenian entities on the legislative front.

Under the agreement reached by two speakers, Karabagh lawmakers will able to join standing committees of the Armenian parliament in the capacity of "experts" in order to gain more experience and expertise. They will also be allowed to take part in parliamentary hearings in Yerevan.

The Karabagh parliament has drawn extensively on the legislative framework put in place in Armenia over the past decade. Laws enacted in Karabagh and Armenia tend to be virtually identical.