EU STATES AND ARMENIA ENTERED NEW ERA OF COOPERATION

RIA Oreanda
Oct 17 2008
Russia

Yerevan. ">OREANDA-NEWS . October 17, 2008. RA Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan received a delegation led by Head of European Commission
Foreign Relations General Directorate Eneko Landaburu. The delegation
comprised Sesary Bardinsky who is responsible for Armenia with the
European agency, Victor Andres Maldonado, Head of South Caucasus and
Central Asia Department and Raul Lutzenberger, Head of EU Delegation
in Armenia.

Eneko Landaburu said that the EU States and South Caucasian countries
inclusive of Armenia have ushered in a new era of cooperation. The
Head of EC Foreign Relations General Directorate offered to build up
a new framework for multilateral collaboration well above maintaining
the ongoing ties of cooperation. Mr. Landaburu said to be confident
that the European Union and the Government of the Republic of Armenia
share in the same values and that a prompt shift to a new level of
relationship should to be made in order to push ahead on the path
of stability, democracy and progress. In turn, the head of the RA
government expressed determination not only to continue implementing
the standing agreements, but also to proceed to new proposals.

According to Eneko Landaburu, the European Union wishes to stand by
Armenia and other South Caucasian States during the modernization
process by establishing a dialog with Western Europe and South
Caucasus. The EU is prepared to assume a more active role in the
region as this is supposed to boost democracy in South Caucasus.

Next, the parties discussed the negative effect experienced by
Armenia’s economy due to the well-known standoff between Georgia
and Russia, as well as the eventual EU assistance in the light of
the arrangements reached with the World Bank and the International
Monetary Fund.

In conclusion, the interlocutors touched upon regional security issues.