EU AND NATO SECRETARY GENERALS ATTACH IMPORTANCE TO HOLDING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN ARMENIA IN LINE WITH INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS

Noyan Tapan
Dec 11, 2007

BRUSSELS, DECEMBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN. RA Prime Minister Serge Sargsian,
who is in Brussels on a working visit, met with Javier Solana, the
Secretary General of the European Union, on December 10.

Welcoming the RA Prime Minister’s visit to Brussels, Javier Solana
said that it is taking place timely, as presidential elections
are to be held in Armenia soon. He attached importance to holding
of the elections in line with international standards, as well as
participation of OSCE ODIHR delegation in the elections.

In his turn, S. Sargsian emphasized that one of Armenia’s key tasks
is the very elections, country’s democratization process, which first
of all proceeds from country’s and people’s interests. "We strive for
holding good elections for them to be appreciated not only by others,
but also in our country," the RA Prime Minister said. He said that
today Armenia has a number of complicated problems: the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict, normalization of relations with Turkey, holding
of reforms of second stage, which can be only solved by a person,
who will become President as a result of elections held in line with
international standards.

As Noyan Tapan was informed by the Information and Public Relations
Department of the RA government, during the meeting, the interlocutors
also touched upon regional problems, including the Nagorno Karabakh
settlement.

S. Sargsian stressed that Armenia sees settlement of Nagorno Karabakh
problem only by peaceful way. According to him, in spite of bellicose
statements more and more frequently voiced by Azerbaijan, there
are still great possibilities for it, as there is no alternative to
conflict’s peaceful settlement. J. Solana also considered inadmissible
conflict’s settlement by war stressing that EU will not permit
such worsening of the situation. The RA Prime Minister emphasized
that having EU’s assistance, the relations with Turkey can be also
normalized, for which, according to him, the Armenian party proposes
establishing bilateral diplomatic relations without preconditions.

The same day the RA Prime Minister met with Wilfried Martens, the
Chairman of the European People’s Party (EPP). During the conversation,
the parties discussed issues related to the process of development
of democracy in Armenia, party system formed, the place and role of
RPA in it, EPP-RPA cooperation. Regional problems, the process of
recognition of the Armenian Genocide, current state and prospects
of relations with the neighboring countries were also touched upon
during the conversation.

The RA Prime Minister’s next meeting was with Jaap de Hoop Scheffer,
the NATO Secretary General. The latter stated that serious progress
is noticed in the RA-NATO relations. In his turn, S. Sargsian said
that the Armenian party evaluates cooperation with NATO as one of
the important components of Armenia’s multi-layer security system.

The interlocutors touched upon the issue of Nagorno Karabakh
settlement, holding of presidential elections in line with
international standards during the meeting. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
expressed the hope that after the elections it will be possible to
touch upon the Individual Partnership Actions Plan again.

A reception was organized in honor of the RA Prime Minister at the
Mayor’s Office of Brussels in the evening. Representatives of the
Armenian community of Belgium also took part in the reception.

The RA Prime Minister will meet with Terry Davis, the Secretary
General of the Council of Europe, Hans-Gert Pottering, the Chairman
of the European Parliament, Yacek Saryush-Wolski, the Chairman of
the European Parliament’s Commission for Foreign Relations, Benita
Ferrero-Waldner, the European Commissioner for External Relations on
December 11 in Strasbourg.