RA PRESIDENT PAYS VISIT TO BELGIUM

Noyan Tapan

Nov 6, 2008

BRUSSELS, NOVEMBER 6, NOYAN TAPAN. Within the framework of his
visit to Belgium RA President Serzh Sargsyan, on November 5, met
with Chairmen of Belgian Senate and House of Representatives Armane
de Deker and Herman van Rompo. During the meetings the President
expressed satisfaction with both bilateral political, economic and
many-sided cooperation, as well as cooperation within the framework
of international organizations.

Regional problems, Nagorno Karabakh settlement, Armenian-Turkish
political dialogue were touched upon during the meeting. S. Sargsyan
thanked the Belgian government for supporting the efforts of OSCE
Minsk Group and its constant balanced approach in the issue of Nagorno
Karabakh settlement.

S. Sargsyan also touched upon Armenian-Belgian economic partnership
mentioning that among EU countries Belgium takes a leading position
by the level of commodity circulation with Armenia.

During the meeting both sides attached importance to development of
interparliamentary contacts as an important component of deepening
bilateral relations. The sides mentioned that the latest events in
the South Caucasian region once more proved that the military way of
solving conflicts has no prospects, and the current problems should
be solved exclusively through a political dialogue.

Issues related to European Union-Armenia relations, Actions Plan
within the framework of the New Neighborhood Policy and process
of implementation of democratic and economic reforms in Armenia,
negotiations process of Nagorno Karabakh peaceful settlement,
Armenian-Turkish political dialogue were discussed during the
meeting with Javier Solana, the Secretary General of the Council of
the European Union. They also touched upon various issues regarding
regional security and issues of international significance, discussed
other issues related to cooperation prospects.

The sides positively estimated the process of implementation of
the Actions Plan. S. Sargsyan considered it the main basis of
Armenia-European Union cooperation presenting Armenia’s vision of
the cooperation in 2009-2010.

Considering stability and peace in the region an important precondition
for development and prosperity, J. Solana expressed support to
the negotiations process of Nagorno Karabakh settlement and to
Armenian-Turkish dialogue.

Serzh Sargsyan met with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer on
November 5 in Brussels. During the meeting the sides discussed issues
regarding Armenia-NATO cooperation, negotiations process of Nagorno
Karabakh settlement, Armenian-Turkish political dialogue, regional
security problems and cooperation in the sphere of implementation of
peacekeeping mission.

They highly estimated the current level of Armenia-NATO cooperation
and expressed satisfaction with the process of implementation of
the Individual Partnership Actions Plan. The latest exercises held in
Armenia were also estimated positively. S. Sargsyan attached importance
to cooperation with NATO as a component of Armenia’s security.

NATO Secretary General highly estimated the positive shifts recorded
in the issue of Armenian-Turkish dialogue and Nagorno Karabakh peaceful
settlement and expressed support to those processes.

Then S. Sargsyan met with Jacques Barrot, the Vice-Chairman of the
European Commission, the Commissioner for Justice. S. Sargsyan and
J. Barrot discussed issues regarding cooperation prospects in the issue
of court and legal reforms and fighting corruption, international legal
settlement of citizens’ readmission, possibilities of facilitating
the visa regime.

At Commissioner’s request the President of Armenia presented steps
undertaken in the direction of court and legal reforms and fighting
corruption mentioning that only the efficient combination of reforms
with intolerance to corruption in public consciousness can be a
guarantee for achieving the desired results.

The European Commission Commissioner for Justice expressed readiness
to provide proper expert and technical assistance to the efforts and
initiatives undertaken by the Armenian authorities in this sphere.

Various issues regarding legal-contractual sphere between the Republic
of Armenia and the European Union were also touched upon during the
meeting of Serzh Sargsyan and Jacques Barrot.

The RA President also met with the Commissioners for Transport and
Trade in the European Commission.

During the meeting with Antonio Tajan, the European Commissioner for
Traffic and Transport, Serzh Sargsyan in detail presented Armenia’s
initiatives aimed at developing alternative ways of regional
communication.

The Commissioner welcomed both the initiative of building Iran-Armenia
railway and the agreements achieved between the Presidents of Armenia
and Georgia on construction of new alternative ways connecting the
two countries.

The sides agreed to make active the joint work in the issue of
development of the regional communication network.

The subject of discussion with Catherine Ashton, the European
Commissioner for External Trade, was the process of our country’s
joining the Free Trade Agreement.

The President stressed Armenia’s willingness to sign such an agreement
with the European Union as soon as possible. Catherine Ashton proposed
continuing the discussions in that direction and providing expert
assistance in a new format. An agreement was reached to establish an
exact schedule of the process during the Commissioner’s coming visit
to Armenia.

S. Sargsyan had meetings with representatives of the Armenian community
of Belgium in the evening of November 5 in the hall of the La Plaza
hotel in Brussels.

The same day President S. Sargsyan also visited the RA Embassy in
the Kingdom of Belgium, met with a group of deputies of the European
Parliament.