ACCORDING TO RA NA SPEAKER, THERE IS GREAT UNUSED POTENTIAL OF COOPERATION WITH AUSTRIA

Noyan Tapan

M arch 4, 2009

YEREVAN, MARCH 4, NOYAN TAPAN. The European Neighborhood Actions Plan
opens new development prospects for development of Armenia-EU relations
in all directions, and in this context deepening of relations with
Austria as a EU member is considered important. RA NA Speaker Hovik
Abrahamian stated at the March 3 meeting with Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary of Austria to RA Marius Calligaris. In his
affirmation, in this respect there is great unused potential of
cooperation with Austria.

Attaching a special importance to parliaments in the issue of
development of the two countries’ relations, M. Calligaris also
attached importance to deepening of Armenian-Austrian relations within
the framwork of the EU New Neighborhood policy. The Ambassador said
that Austria attaches importance to deepening the relations with the
South Caucasian region expressing satisfaction with the current high
level of partnership. The EU-Eastern Neighbors program was considered
important in this context, where the three South Caucasian republics,
Moldova, Ukraine, and Belarus are involved.

M. Calligaris also said that establishment of Austria-South
Caucasus-Middle Asia parliamentary cooperation commission is envisaged
in the Austrian newly elected National Council, which will additionally
promote interparliamentary relations and will make cooperation complete
and constructive.

According to the report of the RA NA Public Relations Department,
prospects of development of bilateral relations, other issues regarding
Armenia’s home political situation and issues of bilateral interest
were also discussed at the meeting.