MEETING IN THE RA NA STANDING COMMITTEE ON EUROPEAN INTEGRATION

National Assembly of RA
Feb 12 2010
Armenia

On February 11 the Chairperson of the NA Standing Committee Mrs. Naira
Zohrabyan met the Advisor of the European Union (EU) in the National
Assembly of the Republic of Armenia Mr. Eduardo Lorenzo Ochoa.

The Chairperson of the NA Standing Committee Mrs. Naira Zohrabyan
presented the work done within the parliamentary framework of the
Eastern Partnership and discussed with EU Advisor to NA Mr. Eduardo
Lorenzo Ochoa the final phase of the work of Euronest of the Eastern
Partnership. It was noted that on February 10, the European Parliament
approved the draft statute of Euronest, and RA NA has its proposals
about it. They will be sent to the European Parliament to elaborate
the final version of the statute. According to Mr. Ochoa, some
information is spread that Armenia is against the idea of Euronest. In
Mrs. Zohrabyan’s opinion, it’s most likely that taking into account
that the Armenian side has distinctly noted the problems, which are
acceptable for it and will be a matter of discussion in Euronest. She
also noted the reservations, which are not acceptable for Armenia,
in particular, that the NK issue cannot be a matter of discussion in
Euronest. "We emphasize the idea of Euronest and, we are sure that
it can have a serious role in forwarding the defined directions by
the Eastern Partnership, but we cannot allow some of our neighbours
trying to use any podium, by which creating new divisive lines at its
own discretion. Thus, we’ll insist on our positions of principle,"
the Committee Chairperson told the Advisor. The EU Advisor to RA NA
said that in Brussels on March 23-24 the first gathering of Euronest
delegations will be envisaged. Mrs. Naira Zohrabyan ensured that
the Armenian delegation of Euronest comprising of 10 persons would
certainly take part in those works.