CTK National News Wire, Czech Republic
May 7, 2010 Friday 5:46 PM (Central European Time)

Czech, Armenian PMs discuss Eastern Partnership in Prague

Prague May 7 (CTK)

Czech and Armenian prime ministers, Jan Fischer and Tigran Sarksyan,
today discussed the Eastern Partnership, a project aiming at closer
cooperation between the European Union and six post-Soviet countries,
the Czech government writes on its website.

Eastern Partnership includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia,
Moldova and Ukraine.

The project that is to make the European market accessible to these
six countries was launched under the Czech EU presidency on May 7,
2009, in Prague.

The six countries may sign association agreements on condition that
they adopt some EU standards concerning human rights observance and
cooperation with international institutions like the Council of Europe
and the OSCE.

Fischer and Sarksyan also talked about trade and opportunities for
Czech companies in Armenia that is interested in modernisation of its
airports, agriculture technology, glass products and equipment for
food industry.

Reconstruction of the Yerevan underground, funded by the European Bank
for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and building new
hydroelectric power plants might be opportunities for Czech firms,
too.

Fischer was to arrive in Armenia within a trip to Asia in late April,
however, he had to cancel his visit over an illness.

kva/dr/rtj