SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ARMENIA-EU ACTION PLAN AS GUARANTEE OF NEW LEVEL OF COOPERATION

Trend News Agency
Feb 12 2009
Azerbaijan

Secretary of the National Security Council of Armenia, President of the
Interdepartmental Commission coordinating Armenia’s cooperation with
European structures Arthur Baghdasaryn presented to the Ambassadors
of EU member states the Armenia-European Union Action Plan comprised
of 195 priorities, Public Radio of Armenia reported.

According to Arthur Baghdasaryan, the Action Plan envisages six groups
of actions. The political actions include the development of Armenia-EU
political dialogue, promotion of the cooperation within international
organizations. It is expected to elaborate and implement a program of
information strategy on European integrations. Concrete steps will
be taken in the direction of simplifying the visa regimes between
Armenia and EU countries. This part of the program also envisages
the continuousness of the cooperation to resist the common security
challenges.

The group of legal actions envisages reforms in the judicial-legal
system, improvement of mechanisms of cooperation between the judicial
and law-enforcement systems of Armenia and EU member states, fighting
corruption.

As regards infrastructures, it is expected to establish an EU
Information Center in Armenia, promote the development of the
information society, elaborate and implement the national strategy
of the transport security system. The actions in this section include
involvement in TRACECA and other international and regional programs,
deepening of cooperation, implementation of actions in the direction of
ensuring energy security, development of regional energy cooperation,
deepening of Armenia-EU cooperation in the fields of energy and nuclear
security. Reforms in the field of agriculture are also expected.

Actions in the humanitarian sphere include deepening of cultural,
educational, technical and scientific ties, implementation of reforms
in the fields of education and science.

The framework of actions in the fields of environmental protection
and healthcare is very broad. It envisages poverty reduction, reforms
in ensuring health and secure working conditions, as well as the
continuation of pension reforms.

The actions in the financial-economic field includes the deepening
of Armenia-EU economic relations, perfection of the mechanisms of
further improvement of investment field, reforms in the tax, customs
and other spheres.

Accoridng to the Head of the European Commission delegation to Armenia
Raul de Luzenberger, the program is rather ambitious. "It’s extremely
important to understand that our cooperation in all the above-mentioned
directions has already started. The Armenian Government will work out
detailed, concrete actions and a schedule of their implementation. When
it is ready, we plan to meet with the Armenian Government," he said.

According to Arthur Baghdasaryanm the program received a positive
assessment. The Ambassadors expressed their willingness to support
the implementation of reforms. He noted that the European Union has
suggested cooperation to a number of countries including Armenia in
the framework of the Eastern Partnership Program. The summit of the
Presidents of the countries invited to participate in the Eastern
Partnership Program is expected in May. "Armenia has been repeatedly
declaring that it is doing everything to deepen the political and
economic cooperation with the European Union," Arthur Baghdasaryan
said. According to him, the successful implementation of the Action
Plan will provide an opportunity to raise the relations with the
European Union to a completely new level.