ARMENIAN PRESIDENT BRIEFS CABINET ON TIES WITH EUROPE

Mediamax
Nov 13 2008
Armenia

Yerevan, 13 November: Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan today discussed
the whole spectrum of relations between Armenia and the European Union
(EU) at the meeting with the members of the National Security Council,
the Armenian cabinet and the heads of agencies.

The president’s press service reported that Sargsyan briefed them
on his visit to Brussels and suggested steps on further development
of relations with the EU. Sargsyan said that following the results
of meetings in Brussels, he had the impression that the European
institutions are pleased with the level of cooperation with Armenia
and the work completed, and demonstrated the wish to deepen relations
and implement more ambitious projects. Stressing Armenia’s willingness
to establish closer relations with Europe, Sargsyan stated that "as
the first step, Armenia proposes to make the communication of our
citizens easier by means of simplifying visa rules and establishing
equal conditions for trade through recognizing Armenia as a market
economy and signing an agreement on free trade". He said that during
the visit an agreement had been reached on simplifying the visa regime,
and at the meeting with the EU trade commissioner, a decision had
been passed to send a group of experts to Yerevan in December to
develop an action plan together with Armenian colleagues.

Sargsyan said the new action plan will most likely be worked out
within the framework of the EU’s Eastern Policy and will have two
peculiarities. First of all, it will clearly outline the frameworks of
regional cooperation, and second, the participants in the programme
will be offered various formats of interrelation, depending on the
level of their readiness.