EU TO ASSIST ARMENIA IN HOLDING ELECTIONS IN LINE WITH INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.12.2007 14:30 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On a working visit to Brussels, RA Prime Minister
Serzh Sargsyan met with European Union Council Secretary General and
High Representative for the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy
Javier Solana.

Welcoming the Armenian Prime Minister to Brussels, Mr Solana mentioned
that the visit came at the right time as presidential elections were
awaiting Armenia. He said that more than once he happened to discuss
questions relating to the development of EU-Armenia cooperation with
the President of the Republic of Armenia. Mr. Solana made a point
of holding the upcoming presidential elections in line with the
international standards. Emphasizing the need of having a delegation
from the OSCE/ODIHR to attend these elections, he asked the Prime
Minister about the ongoing electoral processes in Armenia.

The RA Prime Minister conveyed President Robert Kocharian’s greetings
to Mr Solana. Noting that he had so far been responsible for national
security and defense affaires within the government of Armenia, Serzh
Sargsyan said that by taking a premiership glance at the EU-Armenia
Action Plan in the wake of his appointment to the post of Prime
Minister, he got added evidence that the logic of the program was
matching that of our country’s development in respect of both internal
and external policies. Serzh Sargsyan stressed that elections as part
of the democratic process were among the key challenges facing Armenia.

"We want to hold good elections so as they may be estimated as such by
foreign and native observers," the Prime Minister said. He mentioned
that the parliamentary elections of last May were given a favorable
assessment and, therefore, Armenia was interested in improving on
this achievement during the presidential elections. Among the major
problems faced by our country, Mr Sargsyan mentioned the settlement
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the normalization of relations with
Turkey, the implementation of second-generation reforms. Armenia is
experiencing a number of serious problems that can be resolved only
by a candidate elected through internationally recognized elections.

Concurrent with the Prime Minister of Armenia as to the importance of
the forthcoming elections, Mr Solana expressed hope that they will meet
the international standards and offered the assistance of the European
Union in this matter, the RA government’s press office reported.