EU-ARMENIA ACTION PLAN OFFICIALLY ADOPTED

Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 14 2006

November 14 the 7th sitting of the Armenia-EU Cooperation Council was
held in Brussels. The Action Plan of Armenia and the European Union
was ratified and came into force during the sitting.

The Armenian delegation was headed by the Armenian Co-Chair of the
Cooperation Council, RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian. From
the European Union the sitting was attended by EU Presidency
representatives – Minister of Foreign Trade and Development of
Finland Paola Lehtomaki, German Secretary of State Gunter Glusser,
EU Special Envoy for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby, other European
Commission officials.

The sitting was opened by Paola Lehtomaki, following which RA Foreign
Minister addressed the meeting. The EU Representative highly assessed
the jointly elaborated Armenia-EU Action Plan, emphasizing EU’s
willingness to start accomplishing the provisions of the document.

Latter reference was made to the agenda of the Council. Discussions
focused on political question including domestic reforms and human
rights issues. Views were exchanged on energy issues. The Armenian
side presented the activities in the direction of diversification
of energy sources, particularly the process of construction of the
Iran-Armenia gas pipeline.

The sitting was followed by the ceremony of official adoption of the
EU-Armenia Action Plan in the framework of the European Neighborhood
Program. RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian and Minister Lehtomaki
signed a corresponding document.

The adoption of the document allows to implement a whole package of
reforms with EU assistance. In the result of the implementation of
the document, Armenia’s social, political and economic systems will
come close to European ones.

The Action Plan attaches particular importance to the economic
cooperation of Armenia and the EU. EU financial assistance will be
expressed in the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument
proposed by the European Commission.

In the evening the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan will
hold the recurrent meeting, featuring the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.