ARMENIA-EU RELATIONS DISCUSSED AT THE PRESIDENT’S OFFICE

armradio.am
13.11.2008 15:15

The whole framework of Armenia-EU relations was discussed during RA
President Serzh Sargsyan’s working consultations, featuring members
of the National Security Council of the Republic of Armenia, members
of Government, heads of a number of interested agencies.

The President of the republic presented the details of his visit
to Brussels and posed certain issues connected with the further
development of cooperation with the European Union.

Serzh Sargsyan noted that the agenda of the visit to Brussels was
very rich: during three days he had more than twenty meetings with
the leadership of the European Union and gave interviews to leading
European media.

The primary impression from the talks was that the European structures
and their representatives are obviously satisfied with the level of
relations with Armenia and secondly, there is willingness to continue
deepening the relations and implement more daring programs.

The President said that during the meetings reference was made to
common political issues, Armenian-Turkish relations, settlement of
the Karabakh conflict. However, the main topic of discussion was the
Armenia-EU Action Plan.

Stressing the wish of our county to come closer to Europe, Serzh
Sargsyan said that "as a first step the Armenian side proposes that
the contacts between our citizens are made easier by freeing up visa
rules to bring about the best conditions for trade and commerce.

According to the President, an agreement was reached on creating a
sub-commission with the EU Commission on Justice, Freedom and Security
and it will be established in the near future.

Noting that both parties are willing to deepen the relations, the
President said: "We should view these works not as a commitment,
but as an activity that will provide an opportunity to continue the
reforms in our country."

In the President’s opinion, the new Action Plan will, most probably,be
signed within the framework of the European Eastern Policy and will
have two peculiarities: first, the component of regional cooperation
will be more obvious and second, different volume and depth of
cooperation will be set for participants of the neighborhood policy
depending on how much the country is ready for it.

The President demanded to take the formation of the new program most
seriously and instructed the Ministers and the heads of corresponding
agencies to establish personal control over the works related to
their spheres.

During the consultations Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian presented
the process of implementation of the Action Plan, the works done in
different directions in 2008, noting that those are the continuation of
the actions launched in 2007. The Minister said Armenia will submit a
report on the work done in 2008 during the20sitting of the EU Council
of Ministers on December 9, 2008.

Secretary of the National Security Council Arthur Baghdasaryan referred
to the activity of the interdepartmental commission on cooperation
with European structures and noted that a new ambitious package
of actions has been formed on the basis of suggestions of all the
interested Ministries and agencies, which can serve as a good basis
for further discussions and cooperation.