Working visit of President Serzh Sargsyan to the Kingdom of Belgium

President Serzh Sargsyan left on June 27 on a working visit to the Kingdom of Belgium.

In Brussels, the President of Armenia had a meeting with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice President of the European Commission Catherine Ashton.

The parties discussed the agenda of the Armenia-EU relations. They stressed the importance of developing cooperation in the framework of the Eastern Partnership program. Discussed were issues pertinent to the Armenia-EU negotiations on the Association Agreement, Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Zone, facilitation of the movement of people, as well as to the dialogue with the EU regarding the format of the assistance to the reforms conducted in our country.

President Serzh Sargsyan reiterated the readiness of our country to work closely with the European Union and underlined that since Armenia’s independence, our rapprochement and Eurointegration policy have been and remain priority directions for the RA foreign policy.

At the meeting, the parties stressed the importance of the Armenia-EU high-level reciprocal visits.

President Sargsyan and Catherine Ashton spoke also about the May 6 parliamentary elections in Armenia, the NK peace process, and regional developments. The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Vice President of the European Commission Catherine Ashton noted that it is important to continue to improve the electoral system of Armenia even though, according to Mrs. Ashton, the last elections have been the best in the 20-year history of the Armenian independence.

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President Serzh Sargsyan, Chairman of the Republican Party of Armenia, who is in Brussels on a working visit, on June 28 had a working lunch with the President of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the European Parliament Elmar Brok and Vice President of the European Peoples’ Party (EPP) fraction in the European Parliament Ioannis Kasoulides.

The interlocutors stressed that such meeting present a good opportunity for the exchange of ideas regarding the strengthening of the party-to-party ties, as well as for the discussions on the progress and issues of Armenia’s Eurointegration process.

At the meeting the parties attached importance of the parliamentarian aspect of the Armenia-EU cooperation, to the bilateral cooperation between the RA National Assembly and European Parliament and activities in the framework of Euronest – Parliamentary Assembly of the Eastern Partnership program.

According to the parties, platforms like that present a good opportunity to the legislatures to establish close links between the European lawmakers and their colleagues from the Eastern Partnership program member states and discuss issues related to the expansion of cooperation.

The parties noted that there has been registered considerable progress in the negotiations on the Armenia-EU Association Agreement, which testifies to the willingness of the two sides and manifests common approaches and understandings regarding the main issues.

President Serzh Sargsyan spoke with the President of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the European Parliament Elmar Brok and Vice President of the European Peoples’ Party (EPP) fraction in the European Parliament Ioannis Kasoulides about the course of the reforms conducted in Armenia and forthcoming programs. Serzh Sargsyan noted that currently the works are underway to develop a program of joint actions with the European Commission stemming from the strategy of these reforms. With this regard stressed was the importance of the European Neighborhood’s “More for More” principle.

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On June 28, the President of the Republic of Armenia, Chairman of the RPA participated at the European People’s Party Summit in Brussels and made a statement. In his speech, the President of Armenia spoke about the dynamically growing relations of Armenia with the European Union, the process of negotiations on a number of directions such as the Association Agreement, Agreements on Entry Visa and Readmission, Armenia-EU Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Zone, as well as the pivotal issue of the Armenia-EU negotiations – the wide-ranging agenda of the reforms conducted in Armenia.

President Serzh Sargsyan spoke also about the current stage of the NK peace process and expressed his concern regarding the provocations carried out recently by the Azerbaijani side at the line of contact and the Armenian-Azeri border. Serzh Sargsyan presented to the participants of the Summit our country’s position on this issue, reiterating Armenia’s readiness to solve the conflict through peaceful means and negotiations in line with the accepted international norms. He underscored that the peaceful resolution of the NK conflict based on reasonable concessions and conducted in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group has no alternative.

President Sargsyan thanked the leadership of the EPP and all member parties for their assistance in making the Republican Party of Armenia and two other Armenian political parties – Orinats Erkir and Heritage – part of the large EPP family. The President of Armenia expressed confidence that it will enhance Armenia’s Eurointegration and facilitate implementation of all cooperation programs.

In his speech, Serzh Sargsyan stressed the importance of the main topic of the current discussions and noted that failure of the Euro poses threat not only to the future of Europe and integration processes with its neighbors but also to the global economy.

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On June 28, the President of Armenia, Chairman of the Republican Party of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan in Brussels met with the President of the European People’s Party (EPP) Wilfried Martens.

The parties discussed issues related to the deepening of the cooperation between the EPP and Republican Party of Armenia, Armenia-EU relations, implementation in Armenia of the comprehensive reforms, internal situation, steps undertaken in our country toward the strengthening of democracy, as well as regional developments and challenges.

At the meeting stressed was also the importance of the membership of the RPA parliamentarians in the interparliamentary bodies in the composition of the EPP fractions.